Guest ep with Scarlett Gomez
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Y'all. I am so excited for today's episode. I am joined by Scarlet Gomez, who is a content creator and just such a passionate writer about all things women in the Bible. Her content really helps people see how the Bible is empowering to women. And Jesus was a champion for women.
Her content has been so incredibly healing to me, and she has said the same about your Daily Bread Co and your Daily Bread podcast. It is just such a gift to have this conversation with her and for our [00:01:00] worlds to be colliding. We're gonna be diving into a very nuanced conversation and I'm really excited for you to get to know Scarlet and her heart. And thank you for giving her a follow after listening to this, she truly is such a gift, and I know that you will enjoy this episode. I pray that this episode speaks to you personally and is incredibly, incredibly healing.
Abbie: [00:02:00] Hey girl. Hello. Thanks for having me. My goodness. I am so excited for this conversation. Thank you so much for being here, and I know. So many listeners are going to be enthusiastic that they get to hear from you personally. Y'all are in for such a treat with this conversation.
So Scar, do you mind going through just a little bit about you, where you're based now, what you do and just really how you got into this work and really empowering women through scripture?
Scarlett: Yeah. Well, thank you. Yes, my name is Scarlet or Scar, whatever works for you.
I make social media content about the Bible, more specifically, about women in the Bible. I love talking about the Bible. I love helping women understand the Bible and understand that the Bible wasn't designed to oppress women.
The Bible is uplifting and encouraging and I love having conversations that might be a little more nuanced or people are afraid of [00:03:00] engaging in and being able to just say, Hey, let's. Approach this in grace and kindness and open up our Bibles and see what it says and try to understand it better.
That kind of started from me growing up in a home in ministry where my dad is a pastor and my mom has worked in ministry at some capacity in all sorts of different ways throughout my life. My older sister's a worship leader. I grew up in church, in ministry and never really questioned whether or not I would be in that in some way for the rest of my life.
I think too, the idea of like women's ministry specifically could have come, I have four sisters, I have lots of aunts. Our dog was a girl all growing up, so I think, I think there was like maybe something to do with that.
Abbie: Men were outnumbered. Truly.
Scarlett: Yes. Yeah, loved Bible study.
Loved memorizing scripture. I loved going to like my mom's women's Bible studies. When I graduated high school, I entered into the missions field. So I [00:04:00] was a missionary for five years. And during that time I started blogging and posting like social media content of what I was learning, sometimes oversharing a little too much about like what was going on.
We all do that every once in a while on the internet. But it just kind of made me feel comfortable being vulnerable online and sharing what God was doing and what I was seeing. And over time that just slowly morphed into. Me creating like formal content about the Bible and helping people understand it.
So that's how I ended up here. And thank you for having me. I'm so excited to have this conversation.
Abbie: I am so excited to dive in because one thing I admire about your content, I've been following you for quite some time, is that. You do put the Bible in context and you do approach those hard conversations and add nuance.
I feel like that's something we do on your Daily Bread podcast as well in relation to like food and body image because it's not black and white and you have to put the Bible in context, but how does that relate to us today? And especially with food. [00:05:00] We know that foods aren't good or bad, but what's right for us to eat?
There's just so much nuance to that conversation. So I can't wait to just apply all of that to the scripture. We'll be unpacking today.
Scarlett: Yeah, I love what you're doing and I love how it is helping people heal their relationship with food and heal their relationship with Jesus.
I just think it's. So encouraging and so needed right now. So
Abbie: I appreciate that. I appreciate you saying that. One thing the Lord said to me earlier this week is he said, Abby, I have you in the Ministry of Reconciliation and you're reconciling people to me, and he has you in the same Yes.
History as well, and it's all about through all of these different lenses and different ways, he has us all reconciling people to himself. That
Scarlett: is so true. That is so true.
Abbie: All right, so Scar and I were kind of going back and forth y'all, on what scripture we were gonna talk about today. And of course through prayer Holy Spirit is so good.
Literally the Lord confirmed for us the same scripture. So I love this. We are gonna be diving into [00:06:00] First Timothy two. Verses eight through 10. So scars gonna pray us in appreciate that. I was like, y'all hear me pray so much every single week. I was like, we change it up a little bit.
So I appreciate you doing that. And then, feel free to dive into reading the scripture, whatever translation you prefer to use today. I'm looking at NIV, but. Whenever you prefer. I know you have so many Bibles too. Yes. I, I love hearing about your collection.
Scarlett: Oh my goodness. Yes. I love the word. I love, and I'm so happy to open it up with you today, so
it's good. Thank you.
Scarlett: I'll pray. Dear Lord, thank you so much for this conversation. Thank you so much. For the listeners, we thank you so much for your word. We just play, pray a blessing over the reading of your word.
Over the studying of your word, God, would your Holy Spirit enlighten it for us? Um, would you speak directly to us? God, we ask for wisdom. We ask for your grace. We ask that [00:07:00] it would feed us, that it would fill us up, that we would walk away from it understanding your heart for us better, that we would be better representations of you and your love, and your kindness and your goodness God.
Thank you for who you are. We love you so much because you first loved us. In your name, amen. Amen. Well, let's
So I am gonna read, um, I actually have it up in the common English Bible, so I'm gonna go ahead and read it in that but it's similar to the NIV. So I'm gonna start First Timothy two. I'm gonna start in verse eight. Therefore, I want men to pray everywhere by lifting up hands that are holy without anger or argument in the same way.
I want women to enhance their appearance with clothing that is modest and sensible, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold pearls, or expensive clothes. They should make themselves attractive by doing good, which is appropriate for women who claim to honor [00:08:00] God.
When I first read this, I always think.
Of why is Paul being so specific about what women can wear? Like he addresses men and says, Hey, here's how you're supposed to pray. And then he immediately just goes and starts like attacking seemingly what women are wearing. And it's like, what? And, and throughout. We actually see that a lot. We see Paul addressing women very specifically and very pointedly.
That is like my first gut reaction. And I think for a lot of us, that's our reaction. I don't know if you have.
Abbie: Yeah, absolutely. Especially the NIV. It is like, I also want the women to dress modestly with decency and propriety adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds appropriate for women who profess to worship God and.
I think people take this so literally [00:09:00] where they're like, oh, I can't wear my hair a certain way. I can't wear gold jewelry or pearls and there are even some denominations in Christianity that take that really to the nth degree. And so literally, yeah, you're in the business of, you know, having people see that the Bible isn't oppressing women, but then someone can read a verse like that and feel very oppressed.
So how do we reconcile that. What do you think Paul is like actually saying?
Scarlett: Yeah. Well, okay, so I wanna be very sensitive to how people interpret this because I never wanna say to someone, oh, your interpretation is wrong. And I never wanna say to someone, don't take the Bible literally.
'cause I mean, you'd have like a whole conversation about what does literally mean, and then like talk about the philosophy of that, you know? So I really wanna be sensitive to that. What I wanna do is give us a good contextual background of what's happening, and then also zoom out a little bit, and then also zoom in to the language and nitpick a few of those words a little bit and how they're translated.
But before I do that, I really like this [00:10:00] analogy to help us understand how scripture can be applicable today. I wish I knew where I got this analogy from because I know I heard it from someone. So if that person's listening, please take credit for this. But essentially scripture can transcend time and it can transcend culture.
I. And it can transcend language, but only if it has a suitcase of context coming along for the ride. Hmm.
And
Scarlett: I think that's so important for us to remember that it can be applicable to us today, but we have to have the context along with it. We have to understand what's going on. So I never want anyone to feel like when. We're talking about context, especially like historical context that it means, hey, you can't apply this to today. Because we will get there in the end, like how to apply this. It's a both and, so does that make sense?
Yeah.
Scarlett: Okay. So let's zoom out, uh, slowly,
see [00:11:00] where Paul is. So first of all, in first Timothy, the entire book, which we won't read the entire book, but a lot of people look at First Timothy as a rule book for men and women, or a rule book for the church. And we have to remember that this is. Paul's mail to Timothy, like this is a intimate relationship that has been formed.
And while this was a private letter, it probably would have been discussed publicly. It was normal in that time for someone to be like, Hey, I got a letter. Let's read it. Like, oh, what does it say? What does Paul say to us as the Christian community? So. It was something that was public, but it was also private.
Like Timothy and Paul had this relationship that they had been building. And Paul had been an Ephesus before, so he knew what was going on on the ground. He knew. What the Christians were dealing with there. He had been there. He had been preaching. He had kind of [00:12:00] established Christian community there.
And that we can read that in Acts 19 so we can see what was going on. And there was a lot happening there that when we read that sets up the context for First Timothy really well. So we can talk about that too. Absolutely. Yeah. I think the most important thing to understand was that when Paul was an ephe.
And we see that in Acts 19, we see it wasn't just a city, it was like the spiritual hot zone. We see magic happening, magical books that are being talked about. There was a cult of Artemis. Some people know as like Diana or Diana, which is like the Latin name for it.
Artemis was this goddess. And it, this was a huge deal in the culture of Ephesus. Such a big deal that you can actually like still go today and visit the temple of Artemis. It's like one of the seven wonders of the ancient [00:13:00] world or something. I don't know. There's like some title for it. I mean now it's all, you know, in ruins.
But, this was a huge deal. This was a huge part of the culture that we get a little glimpse of in Acts 19 where people are converting to Christianity and they're burning their magical books and they're talking about wanting to be Christian and that what Paul is saying is convicting for them.
But then we also see kind of throughout Acts 19, where it starts to turn into confusion. And by the time that Paul is gone, there's like a riot happening. Things are getting jumbled and we just see like the small little glimpse of it. And then we fast forward into first Timothy and suddenly we're reading Paul's mail to Timothy, who's in Exus.
Mm-hmm. And he's kind of pastoring this Christian community, so it's really important to keep that in mind. Then when we approach. [00:14:00] A verse like this one that is seemingly so targeted to have this kind of background in mind of like, okay, there was a lot going on. There was a lot of confusion about religion, and Paul is really trying to clear it up.
Mm-hmm. And mainly important I think because Artemis was a goddess specifically. That was really attracting women because she was a goddess of like feminine power and independence. And Artemis kind of has, if you look throughout history, evolved, representing different things, like during different time periods.
And so different historians will tell you different things about like when Paul was there, like what exactly did Artemis represent? But I think. Overall, the themes are like feminine power. Virginity was a big thing. And then independence. So like women being independent. So I think, those are themes that you can trace throughout, like the Artemis [00:15:00] Cults history that then we can also see throughout the book of First Timothy.
So, when we see paul addressing women. So specifically in First Timothy, I think Paul is really concerned about the entire Christian community. He's not just concerned about the women. Yeah, there's a concern not just about, Hey, what are, what are the women wearing?
He's concerned about what Christianity is representing
and I think when we can see that, when we can see this context of there was a lot going on and a lot of confusion and a lot of misunderstanding. And, later in, first Timothy five, Paul's talking about how women were going, specifically widows, were going from house to house, like spreading gossip and untrue stories.
And I think, knowing the context, I start [00:16:00] to then wonder were they going from like house, church, to house, church giving misinformation about Christianity and religion? 'Cause normally in the New Testament, when we see the word House, we look at it as church. Like that's more so how we're supposed to view it as like a community of Christians gathered together.
So we see all throughout this book, this urgent message from Paul of, I don't want you to succumb to these false teachings. I want you to know what's true. But then all of a sudden he's talking about modesty and what women are wearing.
Abbie: So. Paul was pointing out like those very specific things indicative. Of the women that were following Artemis, and then that was causing more confusion, like, are you following Christ or are we still, do we still have an allegiance to this other goddess?
Like I could see if they were going from house to house and then in Christian homes, how that could be confusing for now other believers.
Scarlett: Exactly. Yeah. And I think it would be confusing for other believers, but also confusing for [00:17:00] themselves as well. I think Paul was really wanting to make sure, like what are you doing? What are you representing, what are you believing in? Did you not leave that behind?
Abbie: Right.
Scarlett: Especially for Timothy two is such a hotly debated chapter. Within Christianity regarding women and teaching but I think, we don't need to go into that at all 'cause we're really not focused on that verse at all.
But, I think it is important to address that in those verses Paul asks women to learn. And I think that's one so empowering to women, especially in that culture. But also I think it was that encouragement of like, we need to go back to the beginning. We need to go back to the gospel. And that is the theme throughout first Timothy.
Abbie: Yeah. Because what sticks out to me is that it seems like Paul's trying to emphasize, okay, we wanna be known by our fruit and known by our good deeds.
Scarlett: Yes. Why don't we get into that verse specifically. We'll kind of zoom back in now that we have that context of what's going on.
[00:18:00] And I can read it and the nIV. I also want the women to dress modestly with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds appropriate for women who profess to worship God. Yeah. Okay. So, the Word modest, very interesting.
There's not a perfect translation for any word, right? Like most people understand this. But what's very interesting is that modest in the Greek is MiOS. And it actually means like respectable or orderly. Some linguistic experts say it is. More so the opposite of chaotic. So if on a spectrum, chaotic's on one side, this post meos, this modest word that's being translated will be on the other side of chaotic.
Okay. Versus having like, raunchy or scandalous and then modest on the other side like we think of in English, right? So that's even just that is
Abbie: [00:19:00] mind blowing,
Scarlett: right? And it kind of then connects back to this chaos that's happening in Ephesus. Like we see all of these different ideas and all of these, there's spells and there's charms, and there's magic, and there's Artemis, there's a cult.
Like there's women that are spreading false things. It's like, okay, don't be chaotic even in how you're dressing. So I. Adds a lot. The next word, which I actually, I didn't know this until I was re going over all of my notes in this, and I had never done a word study on this, but I realized comparing translations that it was so different, and that is the word.
Um, it'll either be propriety or self-control. Right there. I also want the women to dress modestly with decency and propriety. So that word is sone. Very interesting. It's only used two other times in the whole Bible. And it's both of those times all, well, all three of the times it's used by Paul.
So the other time it's used just [00:20:00] a few verses down
where Paul is talking about. It's down in verse 15. It says, yet she will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith and love and holiness with self-control. So that's self-control right there at the very end of 15.
That's the same word in Greek. But then it's used again in, I believe, and I did not write this down, I believe it's in Acts 26, and Paul is defending himself, and he's saying like, I'm telling you the truth. I'm speaking with a sober mind and that word sober. Is the same word that we see here.
Mm. Um,
Scarlett: so it's very interesting because some translations say self-control, they say propriety, some say sensible.
But in some translations it'll say discreetly like, I want you to dress discreetly. And I think it's so interesting. How one word changing a totally different understanding of what's going on when. We don't have a lot to [00:21:00] go off of, right?
Like scholars try to use scripture against scripture to like help understand the context of a word. You know, we try to put together the pieces of, okay, what does this mean based upon where it's used and we don't have. A lot of uses. We
don't have a
Abbie: ton of examples.
Yeah. How that compares to, like in Galatians when they're talking about the, you know, fruit of the spirit, self-control there. How does that differ from the self-control translation here?
Scarlett: Yeah, I was actually looking into that 'cause that was something I thought of and it's a totally different kind of word.
Mm-hmm. used. And, it's interesting because, when we translate that word self-control in Galatians, sometimes it'll be more used for like uniqueness or like submission. Which I find very interesting. 'cause it also can be like authoritative as well. So it's very interesting, but they're not related words,
. And I think it's helpful to understand that these are not words that Paul is saying, okay, you need to like, cover yourself more like you need [00:22:00] to. 'Cause we see, we do see that in First Corinthians when Paul is addressing women who are praying and prophesying and he's saying, I want you to cover your hair. So we know that Paul has addressed what women. Are wearing specifically, and we see that, right? He's telling them like don't be braiding your hair. Don't be wearing gold jewelry and pearls.
He's talking about this, but yet at the same time he's saying, I want you to make yourself attractive by doing what's good. It's like this is going, and the words he's using this is going beyond. What they're wearing. Because if he wanted them to wear something specific, he would be specific.
'cause he has in the past, we know that.
Abbie: I feel like in today's society, people take this verse like, oh, the women need to dress mostly. 'cause you don't wanna cause the men to stumble. That's not what this verse is talking about. It's like you don't wanna be known for how you're dressing.
You wanna be known. By the acts that you're doing and the things you're doing,
Scarlett: right? Yeah. And I think he says this kind of like, I desire for women to dress a certain way. He's not like, I'm commanding [00:23:00] you. You know? He says, I also want the women to dress modestly. It's almost this pastoral care of, Hey, there's a lot going on right now and I want you to make the decisions on what you're wearing with.
Integrity and with and understanding of the visibility that you have and the responsibility that you have.
Abbie: Yeah. That's good.
Scarlett: it's also important to point out as well that during that time, just like any time in the world, people dress a certain way and do it to show off their wealth.
Like they, we know certain people who are that way, who are like, I want people to know what status I am in. I want people to know I'm in first class. I want people to know, my designer shoes. There's the old money aesthetic and the new money aesthetic, like this has been around forever.
Like humans have always struggled with it. So I think that's also important to keep in mind when we're reading this is that, you know, Ephesus was a city. It was a well-known city. There would've been people of different ranks, and it's [00:24:00] important to keep in mind as well, that dressing with a bunch of gold, and flashy apparel wouldn't have been just a, oh, I'm wearing a cute outfit hanging out with my friends.
It would've been a, let me show you my wealth. Like these were things to represent where you were. And where your status was. Yeah.
Abbie: Like, oh, is that what God values? Yeah. I think we have to be careful of how we represent ourselves because we're ambassadors of Christ.
Scarlett: Exactly. Yes. And, I think that's what Paul's heart was, was getting back to this like, make yourself attractive by doing good works. Like it wasn't a, don't wear something cute, don't wear such a short skirt.
You know, like he was really trying to bring him back. And I think we could see that when we really look at the language he was using. It was careful and it was considerate and it was like. This is what I desire for you. Like it wasn't a, there wasn't a right or wrong for it. I think he is pushing back against what the [00:25:00] society was saying, you know, and I think pushing back against extravagance versus elegance or like power versus peace. Like it was, it was about what they were representing.
Abbie: Yeah. Yeah. This is, and I do see this, being based in Nashville,, we're considered the LA of the South. Yes. It's a very fashionista type city and very fashion forward. And being at one of the larger, faster growing churches in the area.
And I oversee the greeting team. And I have had so many people say, I want to be on the greeting team. I feel called, but I, I'm not as, pretty as the other girls or, I don't have money to go buy all these things or look as put together as those other girls. I'm like. You need to be on the team if you feel called, you don't need to dress a certain way or wear certain brands release that pressure, that's not what we're striving for. To be the most fashionable person at church, it's the wrong mindset, and I don't want that to be our message. So when I first started hearing that, I'm like, Ooh, we have [00:26:00] some things to correct here. There's opportunities for growth and how can we change that? And how can I help lead people to helping people dress how the spirit is leading them to dress? Mm,
Scarlett: yeah.
That's so good. And it shows that it's still a problem that we're still dealing with today. Like we're still, we might not have this Artemis Goddess Temple, like in our city center, but we have shopping malls, you know, and we have TV and we have reality TV shows and we have a celebrity Christian culture that's kind of emerging. I don't know. I don't know what really to call it. But I think all of that like attest to, this idea that Paul is addressing of like wealth and beauty and confusion, that it's kind of like getting muddled into, and not to say that having wealth or having beauty or or dressing well is bad 'cause he doesn't say that, right?
He's just saying, I want you. [00:27:00] To make yourself attractive by doing good. Like you're gonna be attractive when you're on the greeting team and saying hi to someone at church. You know? Yeah.
Abbie: Or like Jesus, like he made himself attractive by kneeling and washing the disciples feed.
Yeah. He chose to, I mean, leave his throne and to come on earth and just be an average guy. Right. Yeah. And I've even, I think it talks about this in the book Gentle and Lowly, and y'all have not read that book. It is so good all about Matthew 1128 through 30 so good. But how Jesus. Was gentle and lowly.
And that's how he described himself, that is his nature and just who he is. And, he wasn't flashy and, he didn't stand out for his looks. He stood out for other reasons. Obviously all the signs of the good works that he was doing, and just how he treated people and his nature. That's what made him stand out, not, I think he just kind of blended in [00:28:00] otherwise.
Scarlett: I mean, I think he, I think he stood out so much, but I don't, yeah, I think you're right. Like it wasn't about how he looked. , Have you seen the chosen. Yes. Okay. So there's, I, I can't remember what season in it, but there's this moment where he's about to go do the Sermon on the Mount.
Oh,
Abbie: yes. Okay. I know what you're talking about. Yeah.
Scarlett: Okay. And it's like all of the ladies are trying to figure out something for him to wear. And I was like, weeping in this moment because it was so beautiful. 'cause he cared about it because they cared about it and he knew other people cared about it, but he didn't really care about it.
Like, I care about clothes, I love clothes, I wanna look cute. Like I love flipping through a Nordstrom magazine, you know? Yeah. But that's not what gives me the identity of Christ. That's not what makes me a Christian. That is not. What gives me the Holy Spirit or gives me the authority to move in the Holy [00:29:00] Spirit?
Abbie: First Samuel 16, seven says, the Lord doesn't look at your outward appearance. He looks at your heart. Yeah. Oh, he cares more about your heart posture and. It more so than how you're dressing.
And I love that in that scene, he didn't choose the purple that was for royalty,
Scarlett: right? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And not that show perfectly represents Jesus, right? We have no idea if this is a real encounter or not, but I, um, I love when I see things like that when someone creatively tries to represent the heart of God.
And I think in that case, like, does it well? But also it gives us this kind of tangible reminder of, okay, when I'm choosing what to wear, why am I choosing. What I'm gonna wear.
Abbie: Yeah,
Scarlett: I remember being maybe like 15 or 16 and being at a summer camp and there was a breakout session and I'm sure for those of you who have listening who have grown up, like in Christian circles, who have had those Sunday [00:30:00] school or Christian summer camp, like female breakout sessions that are like.
Modest, this hottest. And you know, don't wear booty short conversations. I had been in those all of my life and so I was like kind of expecting it, but this one that I was in it, it caught me off guard. Because the woman who was sharing, she was like, I don't want anyone to tell you what you can or cannot wear.
What I want you to do is look in the mirror. Ask yourself why you're wearing it, and that's it. I'm not gonna tell you what length you have to have your shorts. I'm not gonna tell you how much makeup you can and can't wear. I might tell you what eyeshadow looks good and what doesn't, but to ask yourself why you're wearing what you're wearing.
Is it to impress your friends? Is it to impress a guy? Is it to impress the Lord? Is it to make yourself look more like a Christian? Or is it truly. To be Christlike. Wow. And that's something that was so changed [00:31:00] in me because I was like, man, maybe Christian modesty can actually. Be more nuanced than we think it is, can actually be more about culture and circumstance and the weather and, you know Yeah.
Than it, than it does actually about, okay, how much of my shoulders do I need to cover?
Abbie: Right, right. Yeah. Ooh, that's so good. Because you see like, what is my motivation being spirit led and all of those things. Yeah. And in Romans 14, we just finished up a series of studying. That on the podcast recently and.
There's one scripture that says like, how you eat and how you drink shouldn't lead to division, but it should lead to peace and unity and joy and the Holy Spirit. Like that's what it should lead to. And I think how we dress and how we comment on people that we're not called to be the judge and [00:32:00] all that, I think we need to be very discerning in our correction and if that's even warranted or not, but um, how we dress and approach this shouldn't lead to more division.
Scarlett: Yeah. And I think we need more of those conversations in Christian circles. My mom was pretty strict on what I wore, but like.
There was a few, a few scarring memories I have of ladies in church being like, I can see her bra strap. And those moments that were so shame filled, you know? And like I can still tell you exactly what I was wearing when I was like 12 or 13 years old when that happened, you know? And. Thankfully, now the Lord has so healed me from that. But I think one of the reasons I'm reminded of it so often is because I never want. Another girl to feel that way. And I'm constantly on the lookout for like, I'm gonna make sure that I'm like, mama bear has kicked in. I'm gonna make sure that no one else experienced this.
And I don't think that, the old lady who was telling me that my bra [00:33:00] strap was showing, I don't think she did it to induce shame. I'm sure that if I were to tell her like, Hey, I cried about that for days. I'm sure she would feel bad, but I think we need to have more of these conversations that are less about.
What's right and what's wrong, and more so like how is your integrity? This passage starts out with asking men to pray everywhere. And I think that's applicable to women too. Like, are you praying everywhere? Are you lifting your hands everywhere? Are you choosing what you're gonna wear to church on Sunday with the same motivation that you're choosing what to wear out to a bar?
Are you choosing what you're gonna wear when you are going to preach the same thing as when you go to hang out, and not that those, all of those things have to look the same. Like those are different circumstances and whatever, but I think where is your heart posture in that those are the conversations that we need to be having, not what's right and what's wrong.
How can I be attractive by doing good works? Like, is it I'm gonna be [00:34:00] honoring the way that you've made me More. Am I gonna go back to my curly hair roots? Is it I'm gonna be wearing less makeup? Is it I'm gonna be wearing more clothes or less clothes? Or maybe. , I'm gonna be volunteering more or I'm gonna be kind, or I'm gonna be less insecure about what I'm wearing.
I think each of us have our own journeys and our own personal convictions on that. Mm-hmm. The Holy Spirit is so kind to nudge us in those directions when we're willing to listen.
Abbie: And I love that you said too, the Lord may convict you to wear less clothing and people probably like what?
Gonna get canceled out here. I think I've talked about it in the show, but, one of my biggest insecurities is, uh, my arms and. Nashville Summers are very hot and humid. And past couple summers I've been here, I've been wearing like denim jackets in a hundred degree heat.
And it's so much. And then Easter came around this year and it was so hot and the Lord said, I set [00:35:00] you free from this. This is why I died. Not so that you could be like just in bondage over your arms like so insecure, I came to set you free from these insecurities. That's what Easter's about and resurrection.
As I was getting ready for Easter to put on my cardigan, and I just knew serving all day. We had nine services, so I had my arms out and it was amazing. And so that was a situation where the Lord convinced me to wear less clothing. And gave him glory. And.
I got so many compli, nobody cared about my arms. I cared about my arms. But nobody, nobody cared about that. Yeah. So I think there may be some people listening that are covering themselves up so much. Maybe this can set them free. I'm not saying to wear booty shorts but be spirit led and all of that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Abbie: You could be wearing stuff to cover up what the Lord has delivered you from or wants to deliver you from.
Scarlett: Yeah, and I think that's. True too. As you were talking, I was like I feel like I've been convicted in this, in, the colors that I'm wearing. Like, for a long time I was only wearing black because [00:36:00] black was like this safe color and it was a slimming color. I felt thinner in it. Mm-hmm. And it was that moment of like, okay, God, why am I doing this? I love other colors too, but then it was like, what colors do I actually like and what colors actually look good on me? And I've heard of a lot of women getting out of a specific culture that they grew up in where there was a specific standard and then there.
Trying to break free from that or broken free from that. And they're now like, okay, what is my style?
I think it's important for us to be able to check ourselves and be able to ask those questions like, why am I wearing.
A jacket on a 90 degree day. Like
Abbie: is
Scarlett: it because
Abbie: it ties the outfit together or is it because of me, like Right. Exactly. Exactly. 'cause the Lord did not call me to put that jacket on in the heat. I can tell you that. And are you avoiding wearing something because.
The Lord told you that, or pressures from other people in society that may be in [00:37:00] misinterpreting this scripture and not putting it in context or considering the context.
Scarlett: yeah. And going back to like the scripture when we see Paul.
He's not saying, here's what you should do. Here's what you should wear. He's saying, here's what you need to do. He's not saying, oh, you're doing good works, but like, the way that you're dressing is just kind of scandalous. He's saying, no, you, you need to do good works.
Like they, they what they were doing was bad. It's like he's constantly throughout the whole letter trying to pull them back to that Do good, represent Christ. But we get distracted with these other things.
Abbie: We do, we do.
We zoom in too much and that's why I think it's important for everyone to read this whole book. The whole chapter two, we just pulled out a couple verses. Read the whole, but read the whole book of Timothy too.
Scar, thank you so much for all of your insights and your wisdom. This has been such an empowering conversation and, if y'all have any insights from [00:38:00] this please, send us a DM on Instagram and let us know how this episode has impacted you and, your relationship with God and what has he been whispering to you through this?
We definitely would love to hear, and if you could let us know, Scott, like where people can find you.
Scarlett: Yes. Yeah I can be found on Instagram, on Facebook, on TikTok, on Substack. I do some articles on there. Everything is just at, hello, it's me, scar.
Abbie: Awesome. Yay. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.
This is such a fruitful conversation. I'm so excited. Thank you.
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