Head Covering

From the time I was a teen until my 40s, I attended a Pentecostal church. I loved it, loved the people, and learned quite a lot about the Bible and living the Christian life. Our view of the Bible was that each dotted i and each crossed t were put there for our edification and teaching and that none was there except by God’s own hand. Nothing could be added or taken away, so that meant everything we read was for our time in history and for a purpose. Actually, I still pretty much believe this way. You can’t have that many years of teaching and not have a lot of it stick in your heart!

So, when I was given this passage to write about this time, I thought, “Oh, boy! What can I say about this? This is New Testament! This means that it is for today. So why aren’t we practicing the act of head covering?” A quandary for sure.

But these verses were written to a church in times unlike ours. Their culture was different and women covered their heads on a day-to-day basis. That was their norm much as it is in many Middle Eastern nations still today. If they entered the Temple with their heads uncovered, it would be a sign of severe disrespect. It would dishonor their husbands, their families, and their religion. Similarly,  if someone today would come into our church building with muddy shoes and stomp all over the carpet, leaving a mess we would consider that to be disrespectful. In most churches, this just wouldn’t be done, out of respect for the building and the house of God.

So, do we look at this passage literally with every i dotted and t crossed, or do we inspect it and try to gain insight for our lives today? Is it an uncovered head that defiles, or is it an attitude of the heart? The English Standard Version says “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him (or ONTO him) can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” Do you think the subjects of long or short hair, covered or uncovered heads are what is really important to God, or is it how we approach worship that is more God’s concern?

Prayer for the day: Dear Lord, help us to enter your presence with a worshipful heart and with a reverent attitude. Let our intent always to be respectful to you. Amen!