When I was a freshman at Free Will Baptist Bible College (now Welch College), Dr. Judy Simpson, my English professor, taught me a lesson that has never left me. She graded our essays not only on grammar but on our ability to organize our thoughts around a theme. She often reminded us, “A messy mind means a messy person, and a messy person means someone who will sweep the dirt in a room under a rug rather than into a dustpan.”
At the time, it seemed like a clever way to encourage her students to write carefully. But in truth, she was pointing to something much deeper: the way we think and the way we live are inseparably connected. Disorder in the mind leads to disorder in the life. Carelessness in thought easily becomes carelessness in action. And dishonesty in small things—like sweeping dirt under a rug—can point to a pattern of avoiding the hard work of living with integrity.
Over the years, I have come to see that this same principle extends into many parts of life, even into how a person dresses. Clothes may seem superficial compared to grammar or moral character, but they, too, reflect something about the state of the mind and the heart.
Dressing well does not mean dressing expensively. It does not require the latest fashions or brand names. What it does require is care. A clean shirt, pressed slacks, a modest dress, polished shoes—these simple acts of order and attention say something about who we are. They say, “I value myself. I respect others. I take seriously the life I have been given.”
On the other hand, when someone constantly presents themselves as sloppy, careless, or indifferent in appearance, it often points to an inward disorder as well. Just as an essay with no structure reveals a wandering mind, and a floor with dust swept under the rug reveals a lack of honesty, so a disheveled and neglected appearance may reveal neglect within.
Of course, clothing alone cannot measure the worth of a person. Some of the poorest have dressed with the greatest dignity, while some of the richest dress with the least respect. The point is not wealth, but intention. Our outward dress can be, in its own way, an essay of the soul. Each day, as we put on our clothing, we are also putting forth a statement: This is how I choose to carry myself in the world.
Dr. Simpson was right—discipline of mind shows itself in every corner of life. In our writing, in our homes, in our work, and even in how we dress, order and care reflect the deeper truth of who we are. To live with honesty, integrity, and clarity is to refuse to sweep life’s dust under the rug, but instead to face it, clean it, and carry ourselves with respect.
A Biblical Reflection
Scripture often uses clothing as a symbol for character. Paul writes, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). Peter exhorts believers not to rely merely on outward adornment but to cultivate “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:4).
These words remind us that while outward neatness and order matter, they are ultimately signs of an inward clothing that is far more important. Each morning, as we put on our garments, we are also invited to put on Christ—to let His character cover us and shape us. Clean clothes can reflect a clean conscience, but only when we live truthfully before God.
So whether in our essays, our homes, our dress, or our relationships, the call is the same: to live as people of integrity, who do not hide life’s dust under the rug but who face it with honesty, humility, and the grace of Christ.
The Curious Pilgrims 