6.
The clothing we need is also part of the care of the body. God wants us to cover our bodies and not go around naked. He Himself gave the first humans clothing made of skins. Thus it is God’s way of ordering things that children cover their bodies and not expose themselves to others. When you were still small you couldn’t dress yourselves. Now that you are getting bigger it is necessary that you learn to do this. And the sooner you learn to do this the better. It is not difficult if you let yourself be instructed how this is to be done. I have known children who, when they undressed in the evening before going to bed, laid their clothing in such order that everything had its place. They did this so that they could find everything in the dark and have everything handy. For it can come to pass that a child must get up quickly in the night and dress itself, for example if there is danger from a fire or if something else happens to it. And it helps them in the morning when they want to dress that they don’t have to look around for a long time but have everything close at hand. Don’t only be content with the clothes given to you by the Good Lord through your parents and other friends, but be grateful as well. Always remember: “I am unworthy of the least of these and I am pleasing to God not because of a beautiful dress but for the sake of Christ.” Treat your clothes in a nice, orderly fashion and keep yourselves clean. Keep buttoned up what is supposed to be buttoned. Don’t become accustomed to keeping your head too warm, but pay attention that your feet stay as warm and dry as possible. Concerning clothing I must still remind you, that some children have better and prettier clothing than other children whose parents are unable to procure such expensive clothing for themselves and their children. Thus such children as have better clothing must not imagine themselves any better than other children who have lesser clothing than they and look down on them. It can often be that the child in the pretty clothes is full of pride, self-will and disobedience and then does not occasion as much joy to the Savior as another child in a lesser dress, who is humble, obedient and well-behaved. Likewise it is incorrect if the children strive to be and desire to be right beautifully dressed, if they always think about pretty clothes and want to have whatever he has or he has or this has or that one and are impatient if they are not as decked out as they wish or even if they are pleased with themselves if their clothes are right pretty and they want to be praised for this. But it is a necessary thing for children to learn from the time they are small to keep their clothes orderly and clean, that they watch themselves well when they eat or drink so that they don’t spill anything or let something fall on their clothes and in their usual daily course where their clothes could get dusty or otherwise dirty, that they should not step where their shoes will get damp and dirty or where their stockings can get soiled, nor ruin or even tear their clothes by climbing or rolling around on the ground. The children do well when they themselves pay attention to their clothing so that they are brushed with a brush from time to time and when they notice a hole in their clothes or stockings or shoes to point it out before it gets any bigger so that it can be repaired. A child who goes around looking sloppy and mistreats its clothes is not worthy of the clothing it has.
Something
of Bodily Care for Children
Translated by Pastor Roy Ledbetter
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