Friday, January 14, 2011

Put Some Clothes On!

Some girls say that the reason they dress modestly is to not tempt Christian brothers. Others say it's because they don't want to look slutty. Others want to dress modestly to look their best for God. For some reason, none of these reasons seems exactly correct to me. Sure, they are good reasons to not show off your body, but for some reason, those reaons don't sit well with me. The most common reason I hear the most is the temptation one. Whenever I hear that reason, albeit it's very thoughtful of us guys, I cannot help but wonder if a girl who says that dresses immodestly when she's alone at home without any boys around. That raises an entirely separate issue of whether or not it is okay to dress inappropraitely in privacy. However, tackling that issue would take too much time, and I prefer to keep my posts as short as possible.

So to put it simply, what is true modesty? Is modesty dressing appropriately when in public? Is modesty attainable by concealing cleavage or wearing longer shorts? Or is it when a girl has such outstanding purity in her heart and mind that in the way she dressed, speaks, and controls her body, she directs her Christian brothers to pure thoughts and conversations?

I have seen girls who only wear t-shirts and jeans but are still immodest by the way they talk to boys and move their bodies. There's a particular girl I know who prides herself by claiming to not dress "like a slut", as she says. It's true that she doesn't always wear tight shirts with plunging necklines or booty shorts. Occassionally, she will don a revealing top or just-too-short skirt or shorts. But what I notice is while her clothing doesn't always promote her sexuality, her actions and body language tend to be suggestive.

On the other hand, I have also seen girls advertise their bodies in a very sexual manner, but they are so innocent and childlike that they don't realize how their actions impact young men. I love to hear my youth pastor tell the story of how he had to deal with a young lady at the first church he was youth pastor at. There was one particular teenage girl at the church that was an absolute beauty, with a gorgeous face, lovely features, and desirable feminine shape. The problem was, he said, she didn't realize the impact her body had on men.

And this isn't just for girls; boys can be immodest too. Don't believe me? What about the guys who show off their abs or flaunt their pecks? I'm pretty sure that would make Christian girls lust (depending on how hardcore the guy's muscles are).  

In conclusion, it all comes down to how your heart. Modesty is so much more than simply wearing proper clothing. It's about your principles, your purity, your steadfastness to remain pure. How you dress reflects your heart, and it's all about your heart. The way you dress is a result of the purity, integrity, and character in your heat. I advise you, brothers and sisters, to dress well.

3 comments:

Jennifer said...

True, so true.

Anna Mac said...

Yes, I agree. It's not enough to just dress modestly, you've also got to be modest in the way you act and present yourself. And, above all, it's a matter of the heart.

Kyle said...

I really respect people who dress well. And I man not to conform to the world (gangster look, celebs), but in a way that shows respect for themselves.

I agree with what you say bout modesty among girls in this post, and I want to emphasize that yes, some guys tend to be pretty immodest. I know many guys fall into that trap but will not consciously admit it.

Be nice if you could research on that. ;)