After writing Beautifully Bound, inside and out(which I highly encourage you to go read before continuing at http://jaydenljackson.blogspot.com/2014/03/beautifully-bound-inside-and-out_2674.html, I thought this would be a great follow up to that. I mean after all, modesty and beauty go hand in hand.
I wrote this article on modesty a few years back after God laid on my heart the need to not only remind myself of it but the world as well. Modesty is such a battle in today's world and I know I continue to fall short of an example of modesty. I admit first hand, I need the reminder and the push to keep trying. But with all that said, I thought this would be a great way to point out one of the ways to embrace and display the glorious beauty of God within. And that is, through the act of modesty.
Here it is, plain and simple.
-Have you ever thought of your body as a temple of God? Or that it does not actually belong to you? God tells us that our body is not our own, but a temple of His Holy Spirit, and that we must use it to honor Him. And in part of doing that is in the act of modesty.
Today’s culture makes us think it’s OK to dress and act however we want. It tells us that it’s fine to show off my body and do whatever feels right. The label from the clothing brand, Xhilarition, pretty much sums up this cultures view of clothing. It tells girls that, “There are no rules. Whether you choose to dress crazy or dress to thrill-make a statement, make a scene, wear what you want and it won’t be wrong." But the truth is, it can be wrong. God calls us to be modest in the way we dress. And anything outside of that is wrong. He says in 1 Timothy 2:9, “And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.” Now, just to be clear, this isn’t saying we can’t have fun or be fashionable with our clothing, but that we must dress in a way that pleases God and displays modesty. As Mary K. Mohler says,”…there is nothing wrong with being stylish as long as your love for fashion does not supersede the good rules of modesty.”
In order to understand the importance of modesty, I would first like to point out that Christ is to be Lord of our lives, and as Lord of our lives He is to have control of every area of it, including what we wear. By saying that God is in control, we must completely understand that and live that out. We can’t just say, “I’ll give you control in this area but I want to be in control of this or that, or I want to be in control of what I wear.” We often think that what we wear isn’t a big deal, so there is no need to take it to God. This motive is wrong. We must let Him show us what is right and what is wrong, even in what we wear. For He is Lord over everything. And after all, our body is not even our own, but His. For 1 Corinthians 7:19-20 says, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price, so you must honor God with your body.” So therefore, in all honesty, an immodestly dressed women is not only denying Christ lordship over her life, but is also giving away something that doesn’t even belong to her. If our body is not our own, but is God’s, shouldn’t we dress in a way that pleases Him? Shouldn’t we honor our bodies and model them in a God-honoring way? Yes we should. For God says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” This includes the way we dress. We must put on clothes that will not disgrace ourselves and God, but bring Him glory and honor.
Not only does dressing modestly honor God, but it also helps keep our brothers in Christ from sinning. We must remember that men battle and struggle with staying pure by the constant surrounding of the vision of women. We must respect them by dressing appropriately in a way so that they may not fall into sin.
Most of the time we don’t even realize that what we are wearing can be sinful. Our society drags us into the thought that tight jeans, shirts, or any type of tight or short clothing is just normal. But really, that sort of clothing just draws attention to our body in the wrong ways. Flashy clothing, or clothing that really stands out can also do this. Clothing or jewelry that puts attention on the wrong areas can very easily lead to sin. We all love to have fun and show our personalities with our clothing, but we must be careful to do it in a way that will not put the attention on our bodies, but on our hearts.
Hopefully you can now understand a few of the purposes and needs of dressing modestly. God calls us to be lights and stand out for Him. Matthew 5:16 tells us, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Let your modesty be seen and be an example to others. I challenge you to dress in a way that does not show off or draw attention to your outward appearance, but brings out your inner beauty, and the glory of God. As John Piper puts it, “Clothes are not meant to make people think about what is under them. Clothes are meant to direct attention to what is not under them: Arms and hands that serve others in the name of Christ, ‘beautiful’ feet that carry the gospel to where it is needed, and the brightness of a face that has beheld the glory of Jesus.”
So therefore, let us live by the definition of Modesty: regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress; simplicity and moderation. May Christ be glorified.
1 Timothy 2:9
The Message (MSG)
Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.
