Modesty
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:23).
Today my husband and I had yet another conversation about modesty on the way home from church. Like me, he is disturbed by the lack of it by the young ladies and women who profess to be the body of Christ. There is no question that the world and its standards have crept into the Church, and this is not a discussion of rebellious youth--instead, ladies of all ages seem to be struggling (or maybe not struggling enough) with this issue.
Many times I sit in the choir loft and wish the congregation, too, had a modesty rail like the one in the front us. Too much skin is often showing both above and below the waist, and if it is a distraction to me (because I promise I am not looking to see it), then I know it has to be a problem for many of the men. When it is impossible to sit and be modest, the skirt is just too short...
Modesty has become a pervasive problem. Unfortunately, many of us have learned to avert our eyes and just feel uncomfortable, but rarely do we say anything--it's not our business, right? If we say anything, we are just stuffy prudes who are too old to care about how others perceive us (or some other lame guilt trip the world has put on us to silence any objections we might voice). Also unfortunate is the lack of leadership by the older women who should be setting the examples by wearing modest clothing and monitoring our daughters' purchase of immodest clothing.
My husband drew my attention to this recently when my daughter walked through the living room in a pair of jeans that were very fitted. They weren't when I bought them, but I had neglected to even notice that they were now very tight. I see so much worse at school that I sometimes fail to realize that the world is not my standard, and neither should it be my daughter's standard! I am in no means calling for sackcloth and baggy clothing with no shape, but for coverage and a realization that we should in no way cause another to stumble because of what we put on our bodies. Our bodies are not made for enticement, but rather for our husbands' pleasure, and no one else's. God created us for His glory, and we should be very aware of what we wear. It is uncomfortable to speak on this because we are so reluctant to offend, but sometimes the truth just hurts!
We need to change our ways, and that may mean beginning with a change of heart. We are to guard our hearts, or watch over them diligently, because that is where the desire to dress for the world or our own pleasure emerges. Instead, we should all dress in a way that pleases the one who made us. What's flowing out of your heart and showing on your body? It's something for all of us to think about every day as we dress. Here's an acronym to remember for modesty:
Today my husband and I had yet another conversation about modesty on the way home from church. Like me, he is disturbed by the lack of it by the young ladies and women who profess to be the body of Christ. There is no question that the world and its standards have crept into the Church, and this is not a discussion of rebellious youth--instead, ladies of all ages seem to be struggling (or maybe not struggling enough) with this issue.
Many times I sit in the choir loft and wish the congregation, too, had a modesty rail like the one in the front us. Too much skin is often showing both above and below the waist, and if it is a distraction to me (because I promise I am not looking to see it), then I know it has to be a problem for many of the men. When it is impossible to sit and be modest, the skirt is just too short...
Modesty has become a pervasive problem. Unfortunately, many of us have learned to avert our eyes and just feel uncomfortable, but rarely do we say anything--it's not our business, right? If we say anything, we are just stuffy prudes who are too old to care about how others perceive us (or some other lame guilt trip the world has put on us to silence any objections we might voice). Also unfortunate is the lack of leadership by the older women who should be setting the examples by wearing modest clothing and monitoring our daughters' purchase of immodest clothing.
My husband drew my attention to this recently when my daughter walked through the living room in a pair of jeans that were very fitted. They weren't when I bought them, but I had neglected to even notice that they were now very tight. I see so much worse at school that I sometimes fail to realize that the world is not my standard, and neither should it be my daughter's standard! I am in no means calling for sackcloth and baggy clothing with no shape, but for coverage and a realization that we should in no way cause another to stumble because of what we put on our bodies. Our bodies are not made for enticement, but rather for our husbands' pleasure, and no one else's. God created us for His glory, and we should be very aware of what we wear. It is uncomfortable to speak on this because we are so reluctant to offend, but sometimes the truth just hurts!
We need to change our ways, and that may mean beginning with a change of heart. We are to guard our hearts, or watch over them diligently, because that is where the desire to dress for the world or our own pleasure emerges. Instead, we should all dress in a way that pleases the one who made us. What's flowing out of your heart and showing on your body? It's something for all of us to think about every day as we dress. Here's an acronym to remember for modesty:
Making
Our
Dress
Everything
Satisfying
To
You
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