Why Modesty?

  Greetings, all! Today I am going to do something different with my Saturday post. For a while now, I've had the idea of writing an essay on modesty kicking around in my head. This weekend ended up being the time to do it! May what I wrote speak to you and encourage you in the Lord. :)

Why Modesty?  What is the big deal with dressing modestly anyway? You might think that it's another silly rule that your parents have given you. Maybe you think it's a strange thing that some Christians practice because they're wierdos. Perhaps you dress modestly because you know it's a good thing, but you aren't exactly sure why. Perhaps you've never even given it a thought.
   Dressing modestly is something that is important to me, and I hope to clarify just what makes it as important as it is. In writing this essay, the Lord has shown me more reasons than I had ever thought of before. Before expounding upon these four major reasons, I would like to make plain that this will be written from the perspective that I am speaking to girls and women who have already accepted Christ as their Savior. If you have not done this, I encourage you to read on anyway, to understand more about why ladies such as myself choose to dress modestly.

#1: To Be Obedient to God
  The number one reason for dressing modestly is in obedience to the Lord. We try to serve Him in other areas of our lives, so should we not see what scripture says about clothing? A controversial passage in the Bible is I Timothy 2:9-10, which says, "in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works." Regardless of your convictions about jewelry or your definition of modesty, it is clear from this verse that the virtue of a woman's character should overshadow her dress. A daughter of the Lord would not want wear revealing or flashy garments that would distract the attention from her inner beauty to her body or her outlandish garments. As a disclaimer, I don't believe that means that she shouldn't look pleasant; the virtuous woman of Proverbs was clothed in silk and purple garments (Proverbs 31:22). However, our clothing should not detract from, contradict, or become more important than our Christian character.

#2: To Be a Witness
  When you see a modestly dressed woman, are you more likely to think that she might be a Christian than you think a skimpily garbed gal might be? Why is that? For many people, outward appearance and behavior is a testament to our inner state. A person changed by Jesus Christ should show the fact that they are the redeemed of the Lord not only by their behavior, but by the way they look. After all, the first thing that others will notice about us is our appearance. What we wear will have an impact on others' impression of us, and can help or hinder our witness for Christ.

#3: To Edify Our Brothers and Sisters
   When we dress modestly, we make life a little easier for our brothers in Christ. Yes, it their duty to guard their eyes, but immodestly dressed girls do not make it any easier.  A truly godly man will appreciate a woman who strives to be pure in the way she dresses. I know that I want to marry a man who would like a modest wife; Don't you? Start doing your husband good "all the days of your life" (Prov. 31:11) right now.
  Dressing modestly is also one way that others see our growth in the Lord. Just as God prunes and changes our manner of speaking, our entertainment choices, and our attitudes towards others, He grows us in the way we dress. Our sisters in Christ will see us choosing to dress modestly, and will know that there is a reason for the way we wear our clothes. The Lord may use us to encourage and inspire them in what they wear.

#4 For Ourselves and Our Walk with God
   Lastly, modesty benefits our own selves and our relationship with the Lord. It helps us to see our bodies as something to be valued and kept pure and reminds us of how we stand with the Lord. I Corinthians 6:19 says, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" Rather than hiding ourselves, we are showing the world our identity in Christ.

  In closing, I want to remind you that though modesty is important, it is not the be all and end all of our faith. It is a way of showing love and obedience to our King, not a way of trying to earn points with Him (or other Christians!). Do not assume that having high standards of modesty makes you more "spiritual" than others, or that because another lady's standards are different than your own she is more or less "spiritual" than you are. You and I both know people with different standards of dress than our own who love Jesus very much. We should encourage our sisters to dress modestly,but remember that God grows and convicts each of us in different areas in His own time. Let us strive to humbly walk before Him as he continues to guide us in this area of our lives.