The Father's Perspective

"I'm going to marry my daddy someday!" 

The words of my four-year-old niece as she dreams of becoming a bride. As she looks to her daddy to meet all her needs, she can't see anything needed beyond him to fill her days with joy. Oh, to be as a child! And this is the way Christ says we are to trust our Heavenly Father!

Our Heavenly Father created the perfect grouping of people that the Enemy is striving to pull apart! It's called the family. A big way the Enemy is succeeding in destroying the family is through society's belittling of fathers. This is taking away God-ordained headship. Many families have been working for years to rebuild crumbling homes! Now as daughters, it's our turn!

I strive to uplift my father in words and actions. Dressing to honor him is a BIG part of this. No, the Bible does not say, "Honor thy father with thy skirt," but the Bible is very explicit in that we are to obey and honor our parents. So I asked my daddy if he could take the time to answer some questions about a father's perspective on appearance.

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Questions asked by Abby
Answers by Mr. Little

Is it important to dress modestly and femininely?

Very important!

Why have you guarded your daughters in how they dress?

That's the way it's supposed to be. You can look at it in two ways. 1) If a daughter walks out in bad attire, she can become the object of helping a man to sin, because she is tempting him with lustful thoughts. Men are faced with a lot of tempting situations, so why would a sister in Christ want to add to her brother's temptations? 2) By dressing modestly, you are protecting yourself and the men around you.

What are some practical tips for daughters in how to honor their fathers through appearance?

Be open to critique when selecting outfits. Don't be afraid to ask your dad's opinion. He will be able to judge your outfit from a man's perspective -- in a way girls don't usually even think. He knows how young men think because he was once a young man himself.

Should daughters strive to please their fathers if they prefer a certain style of clothing over another?

My daughter likes wearing maxi dresses, but they're not my favorite. I don't have a problem with her wearing them, because this type of thing really is about personal preference. You're not always going to like the same things. Your dad may like the color red, but you may like blue. As long as you are not disobeying him, the preference of blue over red shouldn't become a source of strife.

Should fathers and daughters create standards of dress?

Yes, there should definitely be a set of rules. If you don't know what you are aiming at, you'll always miss the mark.

What if a father doesn't care about what a daughter wears and doesn't give any guidance?

I wish this was never the case. This lack of fathering is opening the door to problems for the daughter down the road. A daughter in this situation should ask herself, "Will this outfit honor my Heavenly Father?" Also, she can follow the example of the way other girls dress who have the godly protection of an earthly father.

Do you appreciate your daughters, and now granddaughters, when they dress becomingly, and how does it make you feel?

Yes! It pleases me that they are striving to honor God's Word.

Any encouraging words to girls who want to please both their earthly father and Heavenly Father?

Keep close to God's Word; stay in continued communication with your dad. Also, stay encouraged by reading Christ-centered blogs and books, and befriending other girls who have the same goals of honoring Christ! Don't ever shut out your parents. Though you may think they are not right at the moment, if they are walking with the Lord, they are wanting God's best for you. This will enable you to walk through your life with strength, grace, and beauty.

Happy Father's Day!
Don't just give your dad a tie. Give him your heart!!