Modest (adjective)
1. humble –not having or expressing a high opinion of your own achievements or abilities
2. shy –not assertive, and tending to be easily embarrassed in company
3. reasonable –not large, extreme, or excessive
4. simple –not showy, elaborate, or pretentious
5. not overtly sexual –not drawing attention to or discussing sexuality, and so unlikely to offend or arouse.
Appropriate (adjective)
Fitting –suitable for the occasion or circumstances
Propriety (noun)
1. socially correct or appropriate behavior –conformity to the standards of politeness, respect, decency, or morality conventionally accepted by a society
2. quality of being socially appropriate –quality displaying behaviors thought to be correct or appropriate.
I believe we must recognize the differences among these words in order to come to some sort of common ground. I am using the Christian worldview. With that in mind, we can agree that to be modest (using the previous definition) is something we are all called to be (1 Tim 2:9-10). Even though modesty does not stop at just clothing, I am going to focus on that.
Our AMERICAN culture as a whole has been ever-changing as far as propriety. A hundred years ago, it wouldn’t have been socially appropriate behavior to walk out of your house or even answer the door without covering most of the skin on your body. It wouldn’t have been appropriate to go to the beach without the proper attire. Nor would it have been appropriate to show up at church with something you would wear to the beach. Even in the few years that I’ve been on this planet, our culture has changed. I’m astounded at how short shorts and skirts are, and can’t believe that young ladies wear lingerie as casual tops. Some tops are open from neck to naval. Now, the question is, are we as Christians, being set apart from the culture, but in the culture, supposed to accept this “socially acceptable behavior” as a defendable action? I say, NO.
Although the culture has changed in the amount of skin it is able to show in the public, it doesn’t mean our God is any less holy than he was before creation, nor has he changed his standards. Just because MTV says it’s okay to dress this way, doesn’t mean that we as Christians should say okay. As Derek Webb sang, “the Truth is never sexy, and it’s not an easy sell.”
Every Christian should be careful with what they put on or in most cases –don’t put on. Even if I say that I am not wearing this for guys to look at me, I’m wearing this, because I like it, I am only saying that I am choosing vanity and selfishness over being a temptress. We can't control whether or not a person lusts after us, but if we can change our hearts to be more like Christ's, we would find that we can more easily discern what is appropriate or not ("And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God") (And of course the age-old saying comes to mind: “who wants to buy the cake when they can get the slices for free?” God tells us to honor our husbands. Even if we are not married, how are we honoring him by wearing the “eye-candy” that every guy is going to get a taste of?
We as Christians should stand out from the culture and dress in a way that will glorify God. Skin-tight clothing, low-cut with cleavage hanging out, short skirts that barely cover you up, even those cute little accents that draw your eyes' attention to certain areas of the body should be considered…I don’t think that is what God had in mind when he told us to dress modestly. I think what he had in mind was a people that dressed in HIS BEAUTY. A people who recognized that they were made in the image of God, and that we are beautiful, only because it is Him in us! "She is clothed in strength and dignity;"
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
