Modesty for Girls

Ah, modesty.  I feel like Billy Joel when he sings "Honesty".  "Modesty is such a lonely word..."How can we apply Biblical modesty to our lives as women of all ages?

Let's see what God has to say about modesty, and what the lack thereof causes.

"Do not love the world, or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the Will of God lives forever."  1st John 2:15-17

"You have heard that it was said,'Do not commit adultery.'.  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  Matthew 5:27-28

Do we want to cause men of all ages to sin by lusting after us? 

"Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.  It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.  So watch yourselves. If your brother sins rebuke him, if he repents, forgive him."  Luke17:2-3

Does what we wear cause men to sin by lusting after us?  We've seen that lust practically is adultery.  Why would we want to look sexy, when it would be better for a millstone to be tied around your neck and to be thrown into the sea?  

"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."  

1 Timothy 2:9-10

Now, does this mean that we can't braid our hair or wear nice clothes?  Or jewelry?  Of course not; we have to look at this verse in context, as we should with all the Bible.

In my Bible's notes, it says that in verse 9, this wasn't a total ban of these things.  "Paul was expressing caution in a society where such things were signs of extravagant luxury and proud personal display." - The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan 1985 version.

So let's do the modesty test.  Next time you walk into your closet, think about pleasing God, rather than pleasing men.

1.  Does this show cleavage?

2.  Is this too tight?

3.  What is my motive for wearing this?

4.  Could I wear this in front of Jesus without being ashamed?

5.  Is this too short?

6.  Would this make my brothers in Christ stumble?

Why would we want to practically give our purity away by what we wear?  Why would we want to compromise?  

"Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace."

Psalm 144:12

Do we want to be like pillars to adorn a palace, or do we want to dress trashily?

We should concentrate less on what we wear, and more on serving The Lord, and being who He wants us to be.

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?  Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."  James 4:4

My ending verse is what we should ALL do, not just you, but me too.  

"Rather, clothe yourselves with The Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."  Romans 13:14