Head Coverings...

Why Christian Women Want to Wear Head Coverings?

“I thought you decided to join a cult,” a friend said when I posted my Instagram photo of me wearing a head covering to church.

I have to give him some credit, the makeshift tube-top-gone-head-covering was a little more traditional looking. I had a good laugh then told him that the previous Sunday I had worn a more modern one but that I hadn’t taken a picture.

But that’s most people’s take on head coverings. If you wear a head cover you must:

a) be in a cult
b) be a Muslim
c) be in one of those Mennonite denominations

NONE of these are true for me! I’m just a Christian who is committed to figuring out God’s true will for her life — in all aspects.

Should a Christian woman wear a head covering?

Me at a coffeeshop, I usually don’t cover when I go out but since I perform poetry (Christian themed) I figured it’s proper. They think I’m the weird Christian girl with too many kids anyhow. Why not!

I first got interested in head coverings when an older friend cried sweet tears of remembrance while discussing her period of wearing a head covering. She had enjoyed wearing one — feeling more in tune with the Father than ever!

Well heck, I wanna feel some more in-tune-ness with Jesus, too! But I didn’t seek out information until recently when I happened upon KP Yohannan’s book, Head Coverings (The book is super short. Available for free download at the HeadCoveringMovement.com.)

I devoured it, and after my soul hungered to experience head covering for myself! So, I got a shawl my husband had purchased for me and draped it over my head while doing my Bible study. I didn’t experience anything different or profound — no visions of heaven or anything – but I did feel more in align with scriptures.

In the book, Head Coverings, Yohannan specifically states that he DOES NOT want the wearing of head coverings, or lack thereof, to cause division in the church. Division, by way of arguing over head coverings, unravels the very thing that the church needs — a unified body of Christ giving Glory to the one true God.

I dig that. I don’t want to get into a big head covering debate among my friends.

As I continued reading, I found the true purpose for women covering their heads during communal gatherings of faith (and times of personal quietness before the Lord). God likes symbols of our faith — he told the Israelites to symbolically cover their doors posts with blood so the angel of death would Passover them! Moreover, we do it every time we take communion. The host and wine are symbols to remind us of what Jesus did on the cross.  In the same way, a head covering, or for men — an uncovered head, is a symbol of the governmental order of the body of Christ. Yohannan likens a head covering to a policeman wearing a badge. His badge is a symbol of his submission to the law of the land and the enforcement of that law. Likewise, women should cover their heads when they prophesy and pray to show whose authority they are under and whose laws they are obeying and enforcing.

Personally, I want to see revival in the church and in America. If coming under the authority of scriptures about head coverings can bring that even a single step closer, I’m on board.

Why Christian Women Want to Wear Head Coverings.

And honestly, who doesn’t already head cover every day anyhow…totally joking.

My absolute selling point from the book was this: by covering “the glory of man” (aka the woman) and leaving uncovered “the glory of God” (aka the man), we are allowing God alone to receive glory. When Isaiah appeared before the Lord, even the angels covered their feet and eyes while admonishing Isaiah to ‘not look at them, but the Lord.’ Covering causes our hearts (and the angels) to be focused on God.

My stingy heart is always seeking glory…it cries out ‘mine, mine, mine.’ I want to get all the credit, but my soul cries out something different. My soul wants everyone to look away from me (even if I’m giving a message) and see only God. I want to be covered to shun my own desire to exalt myself above God.

I think I’m so darn funny…This necklace is from Village Artisans. Fair trade, handmade and supporting women!

To answer the first question: a super rad one! I want to wear a head covering that is chic and fashionable. I want to LIKE my head covering. And more importantly, I want to wear one that would inspire both my female children and the women in my church to wear one. And…I pretty sure my black tube top head cover ain’t gonna do that (I had to work with what I had, right?). When I wore my more fashionable one, I got the “you look cool” compliment. Though I know “being cool” isn’t a gift of the Spirit, it is important to women. Maybe it shouldn’t be, but it is.

So, I set to find “super rad” ones. At first the only ones I could find were the more traditional liturgical ones — the ones we are used to seeing on women from more traditional churches. While beautiful, they weren’t what I was looking for. Then, I found some beautiful Muslim and Sikh ones.

Finally, I landed on MODLI.co. This amazing website was FILLED with not only a plethora of gorgeous head coverings of all shapes and sizes, but also all sorts of modest clothing and dress. When I drilled down deeper into the website I found that the designs were all created by professional designers with an eye for fashion

My daughter and I drooled over the stunning images. I wouldn’t have to answer the “should I require my girls to wear a head covering” question. My daughter wanted to wear a head covering if it looked like that! (She also LOVES the idea of giving God total glory, too! Win/Win).

Why would a “normal” Christian woman want to wear a head covering?

• To give God alone the glory

• And because darn it, they are just so stinkin’ cute.

Although I have settled this head covering debate in my heart, I encourage you to seek out the wisdom of the scriptures, pray (uncovered or not) to the Father asking him to reveal His will for you and discuss it with your husband, if you have one.

I believe that you will find the answers you are looking for! Whatever you decide, my prayer is the same. That you would grow in fullness in Christ.

http://radicalchristianwoman.com/should-a-christian-woman-wear-a-head-covering/