In my last blog post, I talked about purity. Toward the end of the blog, I mentioned that ladies needed to dress modestly. I believe this goes along with the theme of purity, because part of keeping ourselves pure is in the way we dress. It is not just about keeping ourselves pure, but those around us. Ladies, this post will be directed toward you so please keep an open mind as you read. First of all, please do not misunderstand when I use the term modesty. Modesty is not about dressing like a grandma! It is about dressing, speaking, and acting like a lady. In our society, the word modesty has been given a negative connotation. Anytime this word is addressed, people are immediately turned off. I just want you to know that modesty is Biblical, but I do not want you to believe modesty is just about the way you dress. It is also about the attitude of our hearts as we choose our clothing wisely. 1 Timothy gives us a good example of what modesty is all about.
1 Timothy 2:9-10
9. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10. But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
This passage of Scripture mentions more than a dress code. This Scripture says that women should adorn themselves with shamefacedness, which literally means "showing modesty." If a women is shamefaced, it means she is conscious of what she wears. As far as her attitude is concerned, she is not loud or arrogant. A woman who shows modesty is a woman who does not seek to make herself known. The Scripture also says for us to adorn ourselves with sobriety, which means to be sober or serious-minded. A woman who takes her choice of clothing, and her relationship with Christ, seriously is honoring God and those around her. The Bible tells us not to wear costly array. I do not think this means that we cannot have nice, name-brand clothes. However, when a woman becomes consumed with expensive clothing and/ or jewelry, this can become a problem. Clothing can become an idol. Think about how often you go shopping, or how long it takes you to get ready in the morning. How much time are you spending in front of the mirror? If you spend more time doing that than spending time with God, clothing/ your appearance has become your idol. Lastly, we are to adorn ourselves with good works. Women should be trying their best to glorify God- not only in the way they dress, but also in the way they talk and act. As Christian women, we need to be mindful of our conversation and actions. Kindness never goes out of style. Now that we have talked about our attitudes toward modesty, let's take a closer look at what modest apparel should look like.
I realize the lines have been blurred on the issue of modesty, but the Word of God still stands true in this time period. There have always been differences between the man and woman; therefore, this should be reflected in the way we dress. I believe the distinction can be made when women wear the most feminine apparel available to them. It is Biblical for any Christian woman to dress modestly. The guidelines to determining whether apparel is modest can become pretty murky because everyone has a different opinion. I have found four modesty guidelines that I feel are good to follow.
Ladies, modesty is NOT a bad thing, and it honors God. Not only that, but it does keep guys from looking at you in the wrong way. It helps you avoid drawing unwanted attention to yourself. When you choose to dress modestly, you are saying, "I respect myself, and I respect the guys in my life enough to show them that I am a lady." Choosing your clothing wisely shows that you are a woman of God, and that your heart has been changed by Him. It reveals the attitude of servanthood because you realize that God wants you to present your body to Him, along with your heart: Romans 12:1-I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
When it comes to modesty, I have heard both sides. A lot of people make this argument when it comes to modesty: 1 Samuel 16: 7-...for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
People want to say that it doesn't matter to God what we wear, and we should just come as we are. However, modesty is a heart issue. The way you choose to dress says a lot about who you are as a person. If you respect yourself and your body, you are going to be mindful of what you are wearing. Making a conscious decision about what kind of food to eat is similar to making the decision about what clothing to wear. Both involve your temple-your body. The decisions you make determine whether or not you are respecting your temple and your Creator. Your body belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20~What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Ladies, our choice of clothing, as well as our attitudes, should glorify God. That is the purpose of dressing in modest apparel. It is our responsibility to glorify God, and therefore, to dress modestly. When this becomes our focus, rather than on the "rules" for modest apparel, we will begin to appreciate the true beauty that comes from dressing like a lady. Once our focus turns toward glorifying God with our bodies, and our hearts, we will recognize the huge responsibility we have to modesty. When we turn to God, dressing in modest apparel will no longer feel like a begrudging task that we have to do just so the men in our lives will not fall into temptation. However, we will begin to recognize our responsibility to do so. Dressing for God's glory is, in fact, a major responsibility in the life of any Christian woman. We know that glorifying God with our bodies is our responsibility to ourselves, to God, and to the men around us. Modesty shows that we are committed to God, and that we want Christian men to be just as committed as we are.
Ladies, I hope I have made my point. It is not shameful to dress modestly. Modest does not equal frumpy. We can still dress cute. As one famous designer, Edith Head, stated: "Your clothes should be tight enough to show that you're a woman, but loose enough to show that you're a lady!" We can be cautious in the way we dress without compromising our femininity. Although I am no fashionista, I know that there are stores where I can find cheap, cute, and modest clothes. It can be a struggle, because the world is not going to look like us. We are called to be set apart from the world (Rom.12:2), and this is part of dressing modestly. We are going to stand out in a crowd. Keep in mind, honoring God in the way we dress will ALWAYS be worth it. Before you get fed up with the"dress code," I pray that you will check your heart and try to understand why you despise modesty. If you are not dressing modestly to glorify God, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons. Modesty is not a bad word, so let's stop acting like it is. It's time we take responsibility for the way we dress, speak, and act as Christian women.