I was twelve years old, and a baby Christian, when I first felt like I should wear a head covering. Our church did not have a certain age when girls were required to wear one, nor did the church have rules about what it should look like. This was left up to the fathers in the home.
So I went to my dad and very shyly managed to explain how I felt like God wanted me to wear a covering on my head.
“Why?” asked my dad.
I stammered around for a bit. “What do you mean, why?”
“I want you to understand it, and know why you’re doing it,” he explained. “If God is calling you to wear a head covering, this can’t just be a passing phase, or a fashion statement, or even because other people you know are doing it. You have to commit to doing this, and it helps to know what the Bible says about it. Go study 1 Corinthians 11 and then come back and we’ll talk more.”
I obeyed, although inwardly I felt a little frustrated. Couldn’t anything be simple?
I came back well versed in 1 Corinthians 11. “It says a woman should cover her head when praying or prophesying, and that it is a sign that she is in submission to God and to her father or husband.”
Dad and I talked some more, and when he was satisfied that I was old enough to know what I believed, Dad said I could start wearing a covering.
The Bible doesn’t say that a covering needs to be worn all the time, but I’ve found that it’s more practical to do that. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 does say to “pray without ceasing”, and as I talk to God throughout the day it just makes sense to wear it all the time instead of putting something on and off.
As I grew older in a conservative church, and then married into the Mennonites, there is definitely a culture of wearing a head covering, and all the women do it. However, I don’t want to lose sight of the reasons why I wear a head covering, and that it also reminds me to pray continually throughout the day.
Thank you for sharing your story. As a Mennonite girl, I too have felt to call to cover my head. And have been blessed for it. May God bless you as you continue to walk in His ways!
I Corinthians 11 also talks about a woman’s hair as her head covering. God gave us long hair as a symbol of submission, and I love that my hair is my head covering. Nothing extra needed.
Thank you for commenting! I love hearing how others are thinking about biblical passages and trying to make them practical in their lives. While I don’t interpret this passage the same way you do, I appreciate that you’ve thought it over and come to a conclusion about what you believe.
I thought the same as you for a while, but something that changed my mind was the wording in verses 5-6 of 1 Corinthians 11. If you try to substitute the word “hair” every time it says “covering”, it quickly makes a muddle of the whole thing. I think it’s important, however, to not get so focused on covering/not covering that we miss the whole point of the passage – being in submission to your head and ultimately to God.
I wish you God’s blessings and hope you continue searching your Bible for principles to live by!
You have a wise Father.
Seems more emphasis / teaching could be put on why a woman should cover her head instead of when she should start to do so or what pattern she should use to veil herself…
Nowdays emphasis is put on wearing a “face covering” for protection. Just have to think how wearing a head covering is also for protection- just another type😁
I like your parallel to the face mask. So true!