Hi!
For my next several posts, I'm going to tackle the issue of modesty and what God has taught me in this area over the past several months. This is a complex issue, and by no means will I be able to cover everything. I think that this issue is not addressed enough by Christians and that we are entirely too susceptible to worldly influence when determining what is modest in clothing and what is not. I am seeking to make a difference in both of these problems. I pray that we can walk through this together, all the while seeking to glorify God.
I'm mostly writing this to the girls, but I need feedback from guys, too. Let me know where you agree/disagree/think I'm insane, etc. I will not pretend that I do not struggle with this issue or that I have everything right. Honestly seeking modesty at all times in today's fashion-conscious world is extremely frustrating and difficult, and it requires humility and the grace of God to develop a heart that desires to be modest in dress.
Let's look at what the Scriptures have to say about this issue...
"And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes." (1 Timothy 2:9 NIV)
Decent and appropriate...what does this really mean today? That's what we're here to talk about!
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)
I think that this verse applies as well, since one of the main goals of dressing modestly is to look out for others' interests by not tempting them to sin. And, if we're really honest with ourselves, some of our more immodest choices come out of "selfish ambition or vain conceit." Who doesn't want to look "prettier" or "hotter"? But must we be immodest to be outwardly beautiful? NO! And that's part of why I'm writing...to encourage girls by letting you know that it is possible to avoid clothes that cause guys to stumble and still find something "cute" to wear.
Be sure to check out the new modesty survey at http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/
They address this much better than I will be able to. It's thorough, relevant, surprising at times, painfully honest, and heartbreaking to read how much we girls can cause our brothers in Christ to stumble, sometimes without even realizing it.
Coming up...swimsuits, formal dresses/weddings, random clothes I never thought to consider, and more! Get excited! :-)
Blessings,
Katie
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6 comments:
Whoop to that. I went through the modesty survey and I agree with most of the results. However, I fear the men who responded to the survey were too lenient on swimsuits. I know you're going to cover that, so I'll stop talking now...
I'm looking forward to it, though as you know from conversation tonight we may not agree 100%; in any case it is a vastly underaddressed subject in the church, and people need to hear it. I recommended your blog yesterday, and I'll probably end up recommending this series in particular, because people need to hear God's perspective on this. God bless!
Good idea, Katie. This is something we all need to hear and to think about more carefully.
God Bless!
Katie,
I found your blog on this topic very timely. I am passing it along to Beth and Abi (Chris's sisters). I also passed along the link to the survey to my girls and some friends who have teenage girls. It is a great place to start a conversation with them. They can see modesty issues from a guy's perspective, not just mom's. I look forward to reading more.
Blessings!
Hi Katie...
Looking forward (also read *awaiting anxiously*) to seeing what more you have to share.
oh how you toy with your readers
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