Can We Lead a Public

 Can We Lead a Public

Prayer or Publicly Teach or
Preach While Wearing Sandals?

Everyone from Adam in the Garden of Eden, through Abraham and others in Patriarchy and David and others in Judaism, up to and past the first century with Jesus Christ and others, all wore sandals or went barefoot. Hence, they often prayed and taught while wearing sandals. Modern footwear that we know was not available then. However, this was the cultural normalcy for them. The two months annually that I spend in Asian countries teaching and preaching the Gospel, most of the time I am wearing sandals – or barefoot! I adapt to the cultural normalcy of the areas in which I am when engaging in public speaking. 

However, for the several weeks I spend in a South American country each year teaching and preaching, I always wear closed toe or ordinary shoes – not sandals, because that is the cultural normalcy for public speakers or presenters – irrespective of how remote or primitive the surroundings may be. Likewise, I always wear shoes when attending the assembly of the Lord’s church or speaking in American congregations because that is the cultural normalcy (though some brethren diverge from the general norm for footwear for men under those circumstances).

Another similar example may be insightful. When in Myanmar (formerly Burma), most of the time I wear a longyi (we would call it a skirt!), as do most of the men in that country. However, when in other countries (e.g., Singapore, India, USA), I wear trousers because that conforms to the cultural normalcy of those nations.

Sandals are not sinful of themselves, and shoes are not holy. However, there is no reason not to conform to the cultural normalcy where we are regarding footwear, for instance. Yet, there is no reason to elevate cultural inconsequentialities to the status of religious law. 

In the interest of Christian congeniality, every Christian ought to be willing to defer to others. These following passages may provide appropriate guidance. “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:15 NKJV). “…[A]void foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all…” (2 Timothy 2:23-24). “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5).

Finally, tenderhearted Christians will not insist on everything that is right for them to do if other Christians will be offended (Romans 14:15-23; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13). Yet, Christians ought not to feign to be who in those contexts are weak, unknowledgeable and conscience bound brethren just to get one’s own way. Conscience pertains to biblical instruction. Whatever does not pertain to biblical instruction – for everyone living today, the New Testament – is a matter of opinion, personal preferences or variable culture.