Beauty in Modesty
Being modest can sometimes be a challenge, because the pressure from the media, billboards and "models" bombard us daily. We see all the stylish clothing and how "good" it looks on the models in magazines, catalogs, stores and even on the manacins in the stores we shop at daily. We see the skinny, almost emaciated models in pictures and often times the clothing they are wearing are attractive and beautiful. But if we take a closer look, and sometimes if we put them on our bodies, they don't quite fit us right, or there is too much cleavage, or too much leg. When we look ourselves in the mirror, we, as women need to think about the men and boys around us that will be looking at us. In our hearts, we need to evaluate if we're wearing it to be stylish and "stand out" or if we're wearing it to glorify God and to draw attention to the inner beauty of our hearts.
Men around us are constantly fighting the urges and temptations to look at women's bodies; it's a God given thing that He has put inside them. But we need to do our part in helping them have a pure conscience and a pure heart by giving them something to "see" that is beautiful in the eyes of the Lord. We need to allow our beauty to shine from our hearts, not our clothes and how much skin we are showing. We need to encourage our men and boys to view us as women to be treasured, respected and loved, not as sex objects and stumbling blocks to their minds.
Modesty can be beautiful. Modesty can be stylish. As I show in the picture at the beginning of this blog post; there is a dress that goes below the knees, but not to the floor. There is a belt to make it slightly fitted, but not so tight that a guy can see every nook and cranny of our body. The top part is gathered, so our chest will not "stick out" like a sore thumb, causing a guys eyes to wander where they shouldn't. Last by not least, the neck line is high enough up that cleavage won't show, but it's not like a turtle neck where you feel confined. If you're someone who still doesn't want that much chest showing you can always buy a camisole and wear it underneath to add a little style to it, along with bringing the neck line higher up. The sleeves are nice and loose, adding a little bit a modest flare to the dress.
So there are things out there that are modest and stylish! So when you look yourself in the mirror, try to evaluate where your heart is in what you're dressing in. Dress to please the Lord and to help encourage the men and boys in your life to also glorify God with their minds. Encourage them to keep their minds pure.
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matt. 5:28
Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control
1st Timothy 2:9
Blessings~
