Modesty, Part 1

Finally, without further ado, here is the first part of the articles I've been promising for a while. I'm sorry it's took me so long but I won't make excuses. I hope you enjoy them!

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I decided to compile all my thoughts on modesty into two posts. There are already so many posts and articles on it that I don’t want to be redundant. However, I wanted to get my thoughts out there, possibly more for me than anyone else, but I pray this is a blessing to you all as well.

As Spring comes around and us ladies go through our wardrobes (I can’t speak for guys as to whether or not they go through their wardrobes in Spring or not… ), we come across a dilemma… what on earth are we going to wear?! So then comes getting new clothes, but the problem gets worse. Oh, the stores have no lack of clothing… although I’m not sure that term can be properly applied to what is sold in stores today. Finding modest clothing is really hard to do, trust me.

Why don’t we just buy what’s easily available though? Why agonize and travel store to store or spend hours on the Internet trying to find a skirt that goes at least past the knees (my family’s rule for skirt length) or for a shirt that completely covers my entire stomach and the top of my jeans too? Why try on 6 million pairs of jeans (ok, so I’m exaggerating a little) before finding a “decent” pair, even though 4 million of them did go on and “fit”?

One simple word: modesty.

What is “modesty”? Why do I even worry about it? What’s the big deal? Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines modesty as:

That lowly temper which accompanies a moderate estimate of one’s own worth and importance. …In females, modesty has the like character as in males; but the word is used also as synonymous with chastity, or purity of manners. In this sense, modesty results from purity of mind… . Unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the diadem of their honor.

“Purity of mind.” That’s the whole “big deal,” right there. I see two main reasons for dressing modestly:

(1) Glorifying God, and
(2) Guarding the hearts and minds of our brothers in Christ.

I’m going to deal with my first point in this post. The first passage in the Bible that come to mind is 1 Timothy 2:9-10:

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with modesty and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.

Why do we dress modestly? Because “this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.” (1 Tim. 2:3) These verses, though maybe it looks that way, are not being legalistic. Paul was instructing the women to dress for God’s glory, not their own. The ladies of GirlTalk did a series on “Fashion and Following the Savior.” In Part 3 of the series, they identified three motives of pride in our dressing: A desire to be selfish, a desire to show off, and a desire to seduce. (I’ve linked the relevant posts at the end of my post.) These motives are most definitely NOT God’s motives.

Does modesty mean we have to be “frumpy” or “dowdy”? Absolutely not! Just read Proverbs 31:22, Song of Solomon 1:10, and Esther 2:12! Again, the ladies at GirlTalk write:

God is the creator of beauty. God delights in beauty. All we need to verify this fact is to consider the beauty He created all around us. … we can’t help but be convinced that He delights in beauty! (Part 4)

We can glorify God by the way we dress.

This is a heart issue. Are our hearts in the right place? Are we dressing for the three reasons mentioned earlier? Or are we glorifying God? I’m not getting into hemlines here. This is a matter of having your heart right with God, and having “purity of mind.” This definiton of modesty is definitely going to extend into the next part of my post.

Instead of repeating what other have put so well, I’d encourage you to check out these links. Part 2 will be coming soon…



Fashion & Following the Savior, Part 1
Fashion & Following the Savior, Part 2
Fashion & Following the Savior, Part 3
Fashion & Following the Savior, Part 4
Fashion & Following the Savior, Part 5