Ending The Modesty Debate

The modesty debate. It rages on and on around us with endless variations and bunny trails. Dresses. Skirts. Jeans. Leggings. Mini skirts. Tank tops. Yoga pants. Cleavage. Don't offend. Not my problem. Don't judge me. You're causing lust. And on and on and on it goes.

Can I just say I don't think it's about jeans or tank tops or the length of your skirt? It is about Jesus. What if we would quit applying men's opinions to our lives and just look at what the Bible says? I think there are 2 main questions we need to answer in a completely honest way and the debate could disappear.

1. What does "modest" mean?
2. Who am I glorifying/dressing for?

What does "modest" mean?

"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

Modest: unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements; free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness, or great pretensions.

If we put together the Bible command for modesty and the dictionary definition I think we can reasonably say that modesty is dressing in a simple, unassuming way that doesn't draw attention to ourselves - in an egotistical, look at me sort of way.

Who am I glorifying/dressing for?

I think maybe this question alone could answer the modesty debate. I personally don't like the "keep our brothers from lusting" argument. It is putting the focus on people. If we keep the focus on God the rest will fall in line. If a girl would ask herself in a brutally honest way why she chose to wear whatever she put on, then immodesty in the church just might disappear. 

Girls, we are the bride of a King!! The bride of an almighty God who died an agonizing death, with our sin on his shoulders. Shouldn't we always be conscious of this when we go in public? When you get dressed to go shopping you can choose to dress for man's glory and satisfaction or God's glory and praise. It's actually a pretty simple choice.

What will you choose?

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