When you think of modesty what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Are you picturing an elderly lady dressed in a long sleeved blouse and a long skirt dancing in the middle of her bedroom?
Okay I'm glad I wasn't the only one. But seriously? Maybe you were thinking that or maybe you were picturing the way women dressed fifty years ago?
Maybe you're not thinking about clothing at all. Whatever you may be thinking we must first understand what modesty is. To understand it, we must first define what it is? The word modesty comes from the
So according to the above we can conclude that modesty is not only found in the way we dress but also in the way that we behave or conduct ourselves. When we look at our culture today it appears this quality has gone extinct. Everywhere you turn there is something promoting sexual deviance, narcissism or inappropriate behavior. TV commercials, ads, billboards, celebrities, movies, music artists, politicians, etc. The list goes on and on. It's everywhere and unless you 're living under a rock, you've noticed that this is becoming more extensive. People are so engulfed in the culture, there's no wonder depression, anxiety and mental disorders are sky rocketing.
And since our world is constantly changing and we like society to tell us what is appropriate and what's not appropriate, you would think that modest clothing was ancient.
However, when we look around the world, we can see that it is still being practiced. You don't have to be religious to want to dress modest. There are many women in our country today that dress this way even though they may not have any religious affiliation. Then you have women in the Amish communities, that wear long sleeved dresses, aprons, stockings and bonnets on their heads. If you're trying to picture this, than just think Plymouth Rock 1620.
They're still wearing throwbacks from a few hundred years ago. Literally.
And that's fine! That's what they're comfortable with. I'm not trying to hate on their style. It's just super outdated. That's all.
Then we have women on the other side of the world that take modesty to the extreme and wear burqas when they leave their homes. A burqa is a garment that covers your entire body including your face, leaving only your eyes and hands visible.
I mean what do you do when you have to eat in public?
While some of these choices may seem extreme, we can all agree that dressing modest is an action taken to put an emphasis on inner values instead of outward appearance. It is meant to send a message of purity and honor no matter what your beliefs are.
When it comes to Christianity, there's no exception. Not all Christians dress the same but we can all agree that clothing ourselves in simple apparel not only honors God, it expresses that inward beauty is more important than outward appearance.
Many people have this impression that to dress this way you cannot dress nice. This is the furthest from the truth!!! You can still dress fashionable and be modest. Modesty is much deeper than the outer appearance. It is a conviction of the heart and as a Christian you obtain it by adopting the mindset of Christ. For me, this was something that did not come right away. As a teenager I dressed in what I thought was culturally appropriate and it wasn't until later years that it became a conviction of my heart. Some Christians today have this idea that it doesn't matter how we dress.
Jesus doesn't teach that our outer appearance doesn't matter. He teaches that the inside matters more than the outside. We must first clean the inside so that the outside may be cleansed also. Jesus speaks of this when he's scorning the Pharisees.
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."
- Matthew 23:25-26 KJV
Not only are we to dress this way, we are to be modest in our actions. We were made to glorify God through our words and the way we live our life. This goes hand in hand with the way we dress.
The way you dress speaks on the condition of your heart. So the things you wear should be a reflection of what is in your heart.
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; But ( which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
- 1 Timothy 2:8-10
This scripture alone defines what modesty is. Most of this is self explanatory but when you see the word shamefacedness you may be wondering what that means. There are several scriptures in the Bible that associate being shamed with being naked. So it's obvious that covering up our nakedness is part of being modest. Being sober and not wearing expensive or flashy clothing is also important. This can be a difficult one for some individuals because they feel their worth is tied to the price of their clothing, jewelry, accessories, lifestyle, etc. These things mean nothing to God. God prefers for us to be humble in the way we dress and act.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- 1 Peter 3:3-4
So you see that being modest is so much more than just wearing humble clothing.
"We must first clean the inside, so the outside may be cleaned."
If you're wondering if the Bible has a dress code, the answer is no. There is no place in the Bible that gives us a list on what we should wear. However, there are many mentions in the Bible of what God deemed appropriate and shameful. Read The Bible's Dress Code for more on this. We can apply some of these guidelines to the way we dress today. If you are looking for ways to dress more modestly,
HERE ARE SOME PRACTICAL TIPS:
Do not wear clothes that have sexual or evil slogans or logos that draw major attention to you.
Do not wear clothes that reveal your bra and underwear.
Cover your nakedness.
Wear clothing that pertains to your gender. Men should not wear women’s clothing and women should not wear men’s clothing.
Limit fancy jewelry and accessories.
Don't spend money on expensive apparel. Be humble!
If you wear form fitting pants such as yoga pants, try wearing a tunic or top that is long enough to cover your butt. This keeps attention from that area!!
To summarize this the best, being modest is a response to the convictions in our heart. Regardless of what the world thinks about this subject, Modesty is beautiful and pleasing to God!
What are your impressions of modesty? Leave a comment in the box below. Thank you and God bless!!
