We at Hopewell Mennonite church (Hubbard, Oregon) have been richly blessed with the same bishop since 1983.

He was ordained from among us, so he is one of us. By God’s grace, he has led us with a shepherd’s heart, remembering well that the flock is not his own, but the Good Shepherd’s.

His wife has served graciously and faithfully at his side.

James & Noreen Roth

I need to be more generous in my thankfulness and commendation to them. However, I suppose it would seem inappropriate to use this forum since they are also my parents.

“This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work” (1 Timothy 3:1).

Though he did not desire the office of bishop, the work is a good work, and he has been a faithful steward of it.

Thank you, Dad (and Mom), and God bless you!

“In like manner also…adorn themselves…with good works” (1 Timothy 2:8,9).

When I think of adornment, I think of something intended to enhance eye appeal. So I think of decals on a vehicle or on a notebook. I might also think of suits, ties, sidewalk lights, jewelry, sunglasses, and belts.

(Disclaimer: I don’t believe that all these things are automatically wrong or even necessarily always for adornment.)

So the idea that good works should be an adornment for Christians is interesting to me.

Good works enhance the believer’s appeal to the onlooker.

Which raises two related questions:

How well adorned am I?

What is my “eye appeal” to those who know me?

However, thinking of good works merely as an adornment makes them sound optional and even unnecessary. Like decals. Or white letters on a tire.

Out of curiosity, I checked my Spanish Bible to see how it presents this concept.

Instead of adorn it uses clothe.

For me that significantly changes the impact and applicability of the verse.

When it comes to good works, Christianity is not a “clothing optional” spirituality!

Which raises a third question:

How well-dressed am I?