Warm days will soon be upon us and that means lighter clothing and less clothing, shorts and spring dresses and bikinis. I am making an appeal today on the basis of 1 Timothy 2.9, "...woman should adorn themselves in respectful apparel, with modesty and self-control...". Now I know you can say that I am taking this verse out of its context when I apply it to the way you saintly sisters dress, for this passage is speaking about costly outward adornment and jewelry and contrasting that with the godly adornment of good works and that itself sisters is an important message, but sisters let me make my appeal to you as a godly brother.
I want to start by confessing that I am not completely holy and perfect. I would like to be completely holy and perfect and expect to be completely holy and perfect but for now that is a future hope. I strive to be holy and perfect and sisters I need your help with that. You see my eyes still wander and my mind still lusts and you add to my temptation when you dress for the world and not with a biblical worldview and your christian brother in mind. Woman's outerwear and underwear today are made to expose cleavage, tightly stretch over the body, entice the eyes, and sexually stimulate. I understand that women want to be attractive but there is a biblical attractive and a wordly attractive as stated in such verses as 1 Timothy 2.9-10 and 1 Peter 3.1-6.
I have seen christian women dressed fashionably in modern stylish clothes, attractive to the eyes and mind, who have not stirred those senses in me which I work on so hard to put to death each day. They are beautiful on the outside and very often humbly and godly beautiful on the inside as well. So I am not advocating Amish clothes without buttons, or nun's habits, or a burka but the activation of a biblical godly mind in the practical area of how I am going to dress to honor God and encourage my brother in the Lord.
A female friend of mine a few years back posted a warning on Facebook to her christian sisters to remind them that summer was here and to be aware of how they dressed. I was encouraged by her post but was shocked by the abuse she received from her christian sisters claiming rights to dress as they pleased, not to judge them, and that they were not responsible to anyone about how they dressed. She was thoroughly "dressed down" by them. The lack of humble and godly response was grievous to me but I must also sadly say not surprising in these days when biblical truth is so neglected in everyday life.
Sisters, have you ever thought of shopping for clothes as a godly activity? I don't mean praying to find the right purse or shoes to match your new skirt but applying modesty and purity to how you dress yourself with God, and your brothers, and your testimony for Christ in mind.
Anyways, I had this on my heart this week and wanted to share it with you and ask that some of you sisters out there help your brothers by glorifying God in your daily attire.
I follow the rule ( and guide our daughters) to dress how I would want other women who find themselves around my Husband to dress. While current fashions are not always on board with this modest lifestyle we live, it's completely possible to dress fashionablely and tastefully. We also play the bouncing eye game. Which is done to bounce your eyes off of and away from the "bare too much" people we meet.
ReplyDeleteMay God Bless y'all!