Modesty: Setting ourselves apart in how we dress.

Well, my brain gave me something to write about after all. :P I'm going to talk about being modest. It's a problem that smacks you in the face every time you step out the door. Everywhere I look I see girls in shorts that look like underwear, shirts that barely keep "the girls" in place, and skirts/dresses that are so short if the wearer bends over she'll be mooning anyone who's behind her. And of course, once you step onto the beach/around the pool, the women might as well all be naked.

While this kind of thing is not a surprise to see on Non-Christian girls, it is for Christian ones. I see professing Christians wearing things that don't make them look any different than the worldly women, even though we are called to look different from the world. 

"Therefore I urge you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." ~Romans 12:3-2 

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth  the praises of him who hath called you out of the darkness into his marvelous light." ~ 1 Peter 2:9

God calls his people to separate themselves from the ways of the world, so that people will notice we serve Him. That is part of our witness. But how, I ask you, are people to tell we serve God, if all of our girls look like they should be standing on a street corner with the Hookers?  I'm not one of those who believe girls have to be covered from their throat to their ankles (or one of those who thinks they should wear only dresses, or that tank-tops or tighter clothes are bad), but I do believe in wearing acceptable clothing.

"Likewise, women are to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly, and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making claim to godliness." ~1 Timothy 2: 9-10

Now, does this mean us girls can't wear jewelry or do nice things with our hair, or wear a pretty dress? Does he mean for us to walk around in brown sacks and never touch a beauty product? No. What Paul is saying, is that we are not to adorn ourselves SO much that we draw attention to ourselves like Cleopatra. It is not to be out main focus. In other words, we are to be humble and modest, not vain, proud and wanting to draw attention to ourselves. God looks at inner beauty, not outward appearance.

I realize,of course, there may be some girls who are going to protest to this and say; "Well, it's MY body, who are you to tell me what to do with it? I can wear what I want to wear, and if people stare, well that's THEIR problem." Let me be clear. I am not telling you what to do with your body. God is. Your body isn't YOUR body at all. It's Gods. You are His child, bought with a price-Jesus's own blood.

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your Spirit, which are His." ~1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Aside from not heeding the command to be apart and the fact that our bodies are God's temple, another thing that is wrong with wearing clothes that are immodest, is the reaction we will get from guys. If your boobs are hanging out, a guy is going to notice. If your shorts are so short and tight that they look like they are going to split, a guy is going to imagine what is under them. And if you're wearing a bikini on the beach, he sees almost all of you, and can imagine the rest. Should a guy be looking at our bodies in that way? No. But we are responsible for what we do, and we are not to tempt others to sin, or cause people to stumble.

"It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall." ~Romans 14:21

Before you go to purchase a piece of clothing, or put something on, ask yourself if Jesus would be happy with how you looked if He was standing next to you? Is your shirt showing too much skin? Is your back or stomach hanging out? When you bend over, are people going to see down your shirt? Or can they see anything from behind?

A good rule is finger tip length for shorts and about knee-length for dresses and skirts. And if your boobies are showing some skin, the shirt can go.

Let's evaluate our clothes and make sure that we are acting like good Christian girls, not tempting to others, pleasing to God, and apart from the world.