The White Hat

This Riau Malay man was tending a shop that sold Muslim clothing. The hats in the foreground are called peci [peh-CHEE]. It is the national hat in Indonesia, and it’s a hat strongly connected with the Muslim religion. Those who wear a white peci are supposed to have already been on the pilgrimage to Mecca called the hajj. Those who wear a peci are often seen as being better, more holy people.

Jesus warned about people who make a display of their righteousness in Matthew 23:1-7. True holiness is not a matter of what you wear or how you appear. True holiness is revealed by deeds and actions, but is rooted in something deeper. Those who put on a show to be seen by others are often the very ones whose life is less than exemplary. They preach, but they don’t practice. Such people are hypocrites. Every religious group has their share of this type of person, because religion alone doesn’t make anyone right with God. It doesn’t make anyone holy.

Many Muslims will admit that they know people who have been on the hajj, wear the white peci, but have lives that are far from holy. They sometimes get drunk, gamble, visit prostitutes, and cheat in business; their lives are a mockery of what the white peci is supposed to represent. This is not universally true, but it happens often enough that most people in Sumatra have a name of someone they know to go along with the story of being a religious hypocrite. But even the very best representative of wearing the white peci in a worthy manner is still far short of the righteousness of God.

We’d all agree that holiness is more than just wearing a special hat, but what is the essence of true holiness? Paul suggests that true righteousness does not come through works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. This is universally necessary because everyone falls short of God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:20-25). To the Philippians Paul shares that everything else is garbage compared with the surpassing goodness of being found in Jesus, for in Jesus alone mankind can receive true righteousness or holiness that is by faith (Philippians 3:8-9). As Paul reminded the Ephesians, this faith that imparts salvation and holiness is a gift of God and leaves mankind no room for boasting other than in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Many people prefer to wear the hat than to humbly admit their sin and receive God’s gift of forgiveness through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Anyone who truly receives this gift will not only be saved, but will be transformed. This is God’s work and it is marvelous to behold!

Pray for those on Sumatra, who are trusting in the good deeds that the white hat is supposed to represent, to see the futility of salvation and holiness by works.

Pray for spiritually blind eyes on Sumatra to be opened to see Jesus lifted up so that all the peoples of Sumatra will be drawn to Him.

Pray for humility on Sumatra that is willing to take the place of a helpless sinner in order to receive the gift of righteousness and salvation that is in Christ alone.