In the world today, girls are unfortunately growing up seeing immodesty as the norm. As we grow up in a world filled with immodesty, it can be a temptation to want to wear those 'pretty' clothes you see a model wearing on the runway or on the magazine cover. It may be the norm, and more 'acceptable' in society's view, to wear super skin tight and revealing clothing, but what does God say about this? I will be talking about outward appearances and modesty in the general sense today. I'm young (19) and new to writing things like this; so I may be jumping around, but hang in there!
1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "(3) Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; (4) 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." I feel like this verse is saying that your clothes, money, and accessories are not you. Your inside beauty is what makes you beautiful. Your heart is more than gold to God. God cares about our hearts, and as a Christian we should treat others the way Jesus would. We shouldn't care about the outward appearances of others but the inward and love them. We are beautiful to God without money with which to adorn our bodies. That sounded a bit odd, huh, but what I mean is we shouldn't worry about having money to 'fit in'. Let's not fit into the world and others but to God and Christianity.
1 Samuel 16:7 says, ".... For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." This is another verse in the Bible that says that God looks at our heart. We don't have to be rich to be His. We don't have to have the nicest, fanciest clothes (and like I said before, those things do not matter). God cares about who we really are. We are not the clothes on our body but the soul within our body.
By saying these things, I don't mean to say that God doesn't care what we wear. He most certainly DOES care about what we wear. What we wear should bring honor to God AND ourselves. Our bodies have been given to us by God and we should wear clothes that God approves. One thing I hear all the time is 'flaunt it if you got it'. How about let's not! We shouldn't 'flaunt it if we got it'. In 1 Thessalonians 2:5 it says, "In fact, you know that we never used flattering speech or put on any false front with greedy motives; God is witness!"
1 Timothy 2:9-10 says, "(9) In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (10) But (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works." We shouldn't be crazy about buying all the latest or best clothes that are expensive. We should dress ourselves in clothes that do not bring lustful attention to us. We wouldn't want to lead someone astray, would we? We should be more worried about doing good works for God than the new clothes that are being sold at the mall. I think that in this verse it's saying that by wearing modest apparel we are professing godliness.
Now back to what I just said about leading others astray... I've heard many women, even in the church, claim that it is the man's fault if he is tempted or has impure thoughts due to the clothes a woman wears. To me this is just illogical. If what we are wearing causes someone to be led astray, we should change this! Throw that outfit into the trash. It is our fault if we are a stumbling block by wearing skirts too high or shirts too low cut or clothing that is too tight. Most men wouldn't have had those thoughts if the clothing we wore weren't so revealing. Romans 13:14 says "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." Now we can't put all the blame of impure thoughts on the man, when we have been the one that led him to have those thoughts. Lust exists and we should wear clothes of which God would approve.
The men are supposed to guard themselves from impure thoughts. In Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." The men should try to distract themselves from these impure thoughts. The same goes with a woman if she has impure thoughts. God is saying that we should try to think of good and godly things to keep our minds from straying. Proverbs 7 talks about a woman "with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart". She talks to this man trying to persuade him to go with her. It says "He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks...". At the end of Proverbs 7 it says "Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death." As women, we should wear clothes that are godly and act godly, and not tempt a man in any way with what we wear or the way we act.
A good example of immodesty and what it can do is the story of David. In 2 Samuel 11:2 it says, "And it came to pass in the evening, that David arose from his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon." Now in this story there are two faults. The woman was naked for anyone's view! She didn't think of what her actions would cause but they caught David's eye. She was in the wrong for putting herself in a situation to be lusted upon. But David was in the wrong too for continuing to look at her (and later act upon his impure thoughts).
In closing, I'll share two more verses. Proverbs 31:25 says, "Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come." Colossians 3:12 says, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Remember that we should show dignity by our clothing, and respect the gift of our body that God has given us.
Love, Emily.
Love, Emily.
