A friend of mine has a blog about modesty and I've been reading it and getting more and more interested on what modesty means and where this search might lead me.  I've come to realize that modesty can be so easily thought of in different ways. Some think that covering their bodies where their "stuff" isn't hanging out. Some think that it's wearing things that are all loosey-goosey and "frumpy." (stole that word from another blog...but I honesty think that it fits!)

I've struggled myself to figure out what God wants from me, personally.  I think God has a path of modesty for each person and it is each person's responsibility to discover what God wants of them. I don't think that those who feel that long, full, fluffy dresses are the way to go,  are any less than those who believe jeans and a higher necked shirt is the way to go. As long as we feel that we're following what God wants, that is what matters.

Modesty and clothing seem to be a very controversial issue this day and age amongst Christians and churches.  Some preach that as long as it's "womanly" and not showing off parts of the body that shouldn't be showing, is modest. Then others say that guys where pants and women wear dresses.   And to be honest, I'm still discovering the path that God wants for me. I grew up in a community where women had long hair and wore long dresses. I honestly loved it and I still think that the girls look so much better in long dresses and I really miss those days. And now you're asking, "so what are you doing different now, and why did you change?"

Good question.

After I left the church that followed those practices, I went to a Bible college, called CFNI. For a while I dressed the way I was used to, but slowly but surely, I felt God leading me into a different path. Now something I want to say here is that I believe there is a place for EVERY type of modesty. I believe God uses each kind for His purpose and to reach different people. I don't think there is a way that is a wrong way, or a right way, as long as it's sincerely modest and is what God is calling you to do. To me, this is what a pastor once called, "grey areas" of Christianity.  I can't find anywhere in the Bible that it specifically says what God wants men or women to wear. In fact, when the Bible was written, men and women dressed "alike," just the colors where different and maybe the style was a little different too. (At least according to the carvings and old drawings we've seen).  I think what God is wanting is that there be a distinction between what a man wears and what a woman wears. If a woman chooses to wear pants with a shirt that a man could wear (and still look like a man), then I think there might need to be some changes. But if a woman wears some jeans with a girly, modest blouse, then she is distinguishing herself as a woman.  Personally, when I've chosen to wear jeans, I've chosen to wear a long shirt/blouse that goes way below my waist line. But lately, I've felt more comfortable and "settled" wearing some to-my-knee, or a little below that, skirts. I feel more womanly in skirts. You'll never see a man wear a skirt! LOL... but then again, I don't have a specific problem with wearing some jeans every once in a while. I just have certain guidelines I follow and if I look myself in the mirror and feel even slightly "off" about it, I change my clothes.

As women of God, I also believe we need to be aware of how we're affecting the men around us. And we need to realize that to "win" a man's heart, we don't need to be adorned with everything imaginable, but to just be ourselves and to be a Proverbs 31 woman.  Take a look at Proverbs 31...

 

I think Proverbs 31 shows exactly what God wants from women in actions, spirit and dress. That is what every man of God wants from his woman, or from the woman he is looking for to be his wife.  When we dress modestly and show purity in that way, it can attract them to us because they're not needing to struggle with their eyes, hearts and minds. Listen to this youtube video that I discovered a blog today. It's very interesting and I believe will help young women discover the path that God wants for them. It's a guys perspective on women and modesty. It's quite eye opening, actually! I enjoyed it and I hope you do too!

Blessings~

Purity

Today I was reading something and came across a young woman's post. She is a young Christian, who wants to serve God, but something in what she wrote struck me wrong.

I know she didn't mean anything by it, but as I started contemplating what she said, more and more "stuff" about purity stuck out to me. I mentioned to my husband what she said and he agreed.  I don't want to judge, but I am going to share in simplicity what she said and explain further what I feel...you can agree to disagree with me if you like! LOL

Her comment was this, "I was singing in the shower, 'Oh Taste and See that the Lord, He is good.' "   In short, there is nothing wrong with what she said. In fact, it's encouraging to know that people are singing praises to Jesus. But there is one part in there that doesn't encourage purity. 

Yup, you've got it...the "shower" part.  I think her intentions were great. I think her thoughts were pure. I don't think she had motive to say or do something that could lead to impurity at all. But that is where women need to think about what their thoughts, actions and words will do to other people. I asked my husband about that comment, because I just felt it was a little "off." He said to me,

"Men are visual. When people say, 'I saw a red car,' guys see a red car in our minds eye. When people say that they're 'in the shower' that is what we see. God made us that way, and it's not like we're these sexual animals all the time, it's just the way we're created." 

Our men want to remain pure in thought. We want to encourage our young boys and growing, "discovering" young men to think pure, act pure and be pure. We, as women need to cautiously consider everything we do, from the things we say, to the things we dress in. Often times that cute shirt we like so much is something that will draw attention to our bodies in a way that will cause a man to stumble. When we unthinkingly say or do something that causes a man to think something impure, we are causing him to sin and encouraging him to commit adultery. Women of God don't want to be impure, let alone cause a man to fall into sin too. Our goals need to be thoughtful of them...making sure that we're walking in purity and love for them.  Sometimes it means double thinking before we say something for guys to read, or it might mean dropping off our favorite shirt at Good Will, or even dumping it in the trash. It pulls something from us that brings us to a place of selflessness; thinking of others beyond ourselves. In doing that, we're laying down our desires and dreams to fulfill God's purest will for us.

Sometimes that cute shirt that we love so much is fine for someone else, but for us; the way we're built or the way the shirt falls on us, doesn't help us bring more purity into the world. Sometimes someone can say something a certain way, in person, to someone and it's perfectly fine, but for someone else, if they say it, it causes people to imagine impure things. We need to think about what our actions and words are doing to our men. If we want to encourage them in purity, then we need to be able to control ourselves in what we say, do or even think. We need to put them before ourselves and love them the way Jesus calls us too.

I don't know if this made sense....I kinda have rambling thoughts tonight...but there it is. Blessings~