Cover it Up!!

My son, Ryan, is aware I have a blog. He’s never read it, but he knows about it. He asked me the other day if I could post a blog about modesty. How many seventeen- year-old young men do you know who would ask their mother to do that? Of course, I agreed.

I’m going to get on my soapbox a bit, so please just indulge me. Modesty is a subject that I feel is important to God. The times we live in do not negate God’s Word. 1 Corinthians 6:19, says, “ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” (NIV) His Word has plenty to say about modesty and is still relevant for today’s styles and culture. As I was thinking about this post, I came across an article called “12 Tips Every Woman Needs to Hear From a Trainer” on Facebook by Cody Bobay, author of Lose 40 lbs in 1 Day. Here the link to his article: http://www.fitbeyondthescale.com/blog/12-tips-every-woman-needs-to-hear-from-a-trainer

Tip #5 says, “You attract what you market.”

“If you want people to see you as a Proverbs 31 woman but you’re dressing like Rahab, (the prostitute) you’re clearly sending mixed signals. And if you’re single, you don’t want to attract the creepy guy in the gym constantly checking out women in skimpy clothes anyway. So dress modestly and remember if you market it, you will attract it.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Just how short do you have to wear your shorts or skirts? I don’t want to sound like I have all the answers, because I don’t. John 17:14-15 talks about us being in the world, but not of the world. We are not supposed to be living by the same standards or values as the world we live in, and this does not exclude how we dress. Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) says: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Please realize that not only will you be attracting the wrong kind of men (for you singles), but you also may be causing unnecessary temptation to your brothers in Christ. I am all for dressing pretty and even sexy, but that doesn’t mean you have to show so much skin! The classy women that I admire from the past like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn were the epitome of grace, beauty, and femininity. They attracted admirers all over the world. They dressed with modesty, but they were considered some of the most beautiful women of their time. They did not need to wear revealing clothing to project their beauty.

Now I’m probably going to offend some people here, but I never promised I wouldn’t. Leggings are not pants, ladies. They show way too many curves to be appropriate to wear in public as pants. I have not only seen them at the grocery store, I’ve even seen them at church, worn very inappropriately! Leggings are great with skirts or very long shirts that could really almost pass for dresses. Leggings are for covering your legs, that’s it. Yoga pants are for yoga class, not the grocery store or church or anywhere else in public.

Very low cut blouses are not appropriate for any occasion: not for church, not for the grocery store, not even on a date with your husband (unless your are home and it’s just the two of you). I hate it when the summer time comes here in the South because of the various inappropriate attire we will soon see. The short shorts make their entrance, yes even at church. The short skirts are there too. My boys have said to me, “Don’t women realize how hard they make it for us guys?” I’m not sure that many women even give that a second thought today, but we as Christians, should be holding a higher standard for ourselves and our own children than that of the world.

I think the Duggars on TLC set a good example of modesty for all of us. Although they don’t believe in girls wearing pants or shorts, if I had to err on one side, it would be with them. I don’t personally see anything wrong with wearing pants (that are not too tight) or shorts that are acceptable lengths. Have you ever considered praying and asking God what is acceptable to Him? I think we all need to start there. Include Him in your purchases for yourself and your daughters. Ask yourself if you would be causing anyone to stumble because of what you are wearing. Who do you want to attract,—a godly man who will respect you or the opposite kind of man? Please, just consider my words and pray about it. For the sake of our men, please Cover It Up!