Transvestitism

Reading:  Deuteronomy 22, 23, 24
My Verse:  "A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an  abomination to the LORD your God" (22:5).

On first reading this, it seems a bit unreasonable.  We often wear  clothing made for the opposite sex.  Some clothes are even made to be worn by either.  However, looking closer at this and the context in which it was written, one gets more meaning from this seemingly simple statement on cross dressing.

Apparently, in the pagan temple there were transvestite practices associated with pagan temple prostitution.  The people of Israel were always warned to avoid any of these pagan practices.

Also on reading all these chapters one sees that Your purpose, LORD God  in all these warnings to the people is to point them toward order.  You want them to know that You created the universe and all the creatures within it.  You created male and female.  There is a specific role for each to play.  There is an order and rightness in Your creation. "And God saw everything that he had made and behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31).  Then Your final act of creation was to create for Adam a wife, a woman.  This was a good thing, a right thing. 

The Merriam-Webster definition of transvestite is: a person and especially a male who adopts the dress and often the behavior typical of the opposite sex especially for purposes of emotional or sexual gratification.  So a transvestite does not put on clothes meant for the opposite sex as a matter of convenience.  It is done for the express purpose that does not meet with God's purposes, order and rightness.

I was at a department store where there was a transvestite at the counter.  It bothered me greatly.  I could not go to the counter to ask for help because I found it distasteful to interact with this person.  There was such a wrongness about it to me.  Afterwards, I felt badly.  How am I to deal with these individuals?  They are Your creation as well as I am LORD God.  They need You as much as any other person. 

It is difficult but I believe You love them, too. However, You do not condone their behavior and neither should I.  I can pray for them and witness to them if an opportunity arises.  I can only follow Your leading in this, LORD God.  I am thankful that I can do that.

"For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!