Ben Wilson, LPC

‘Is it okay to be saved and sexy?’

Now that I’ve got your attention…we return to Angela Thomas’ book, Do You Think I’m Beautiful to explore the possibilities on this one. Her book is much less about physical beauty than it is about our true soul beauty (which we’ll begin tomorrow), but she does pose this sometimes controversial question. Angela uses the word ‘sexy’ because she feels the church is okay with ‘pretty’.

I wore fishnet stockings to church yesterday. It felt a little scandalous, a little sexy. And I felt quite beautiful. One of my friends said I was the only woman she knew who could totally rock fishnets at church. Of course, I was wearing a knee-concealing skirt and modest sweater along with them.

I haven’t always been comfortable (or even very good at) wearing clothing that made me feel quite beautiful. As a teen I wore “Daisy Duke” jean shorts. That’s an 80’s way of saying they were way too short. They didn’t really help me feel beautiful. I then entered a ‘dowdy mom phase’ as I wore clothing that was a bit big rather than well fitting. They didn’t help me feel beautiful. Following the revelation of my affair, I just wanted to cover up my body so no man would be attracted to me ever again. It has been a significant battle, but I have finally entered a season that finds me more comfortable in clothes that fit well. More comfortable in trying something new. More comfortable in my own skin. More comfortable feeling beautiful.   

Please don’t read what I’m not typing…I’m not talking about dressing risqué. Not at all. I’m talking about having fun with your sense of style. Dressing fun, not boring. Dressing risky, NOT risqué. Revealing your beauty, not revealing your cleavage. 

Wouldn’t it be great if we all felt that it was okay to be a little sexy, even at church? Going back to the book, Angela says, “Why would God wire us to long for beautiful and then require us to pursue plain? He hasn’t. Thank God He hasn’t. Permission to be a woman granted.”