Modesty

I've just discovered a new webzine over at Next . This month particularly has a worthwhile read in Lydia Brownback's article, The Single Woman and the Modesty of Personal Restraint:

As the spring season blooms, talk about modesty heats up in Christian conversation as fast as the weather. Bloggers, radio hosts, and the rest of us lament the shorter hemlines, deeper necklines, exposed bellies, and bare bottoms in thong bikinis at the neighborhood swim club. But immodesty deals with a lot more than revealing too much skin. We are just as prone—if not more so—to overexpose what’s under our skin. Revealing too much about ourselves is immodest too. When Peter painted his picture of godly womanhood, it included outward modesty—how we handle “the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing”—but it also included the modesty of personal restraint—“a gentle and quiet spirit,” which, he said, is very precious in God’s sight (1 Pet. 3:4).

Read on here. You'll also find further resources on the Next site with a bunch of conference messages from over the years on various subjects and from top notch speakers.

The Modesty Survey

“How tight is too tight for tops? Are jeans with holes in the thighs immodest? Is a purse worn with the strap diagonally across the chest a stumbling block? Are shirts with messages across the front distracting?”

These are some of the questions that the guys over at The Rebelution are asking. This is an opportunity to join other Christian young men and women in their new and exciting project: The Modesty Survey. The Modesty Survey allows any girl to submit anonymous, modesty-related questions to Christian guys and to receive (multiple) anonymous replies.

So girls submit your modesty questions by December 15th and get some answers to those long awaited questions you have - and not from just one guy! For all the details of how to take part and observe the results click here.

The Girl, Her Lord & Her Wardrobe

I've just finished reading Girl Talk: Mother-Daughter Conversations on Biblical Womanhood by Carolyn Mahaney & Nicole Mahaney Whitacre. It's been a real interesting read since the aim of the book is to encourage mums and daughters to really talk about what it means to be a godly woman. It's written by a mother and daughter and provides insights, tips and even study questions. One of the areas which they discuss is the issue of modesty. As one who is not the most fashionable when it comes to clothes I did find the whole discussion interesting and it did make me think. Nicole Whitacre (the daughter) writes:

"Immodest dress is more than simply wearing a short skirt or low-cut blouse. Immodesty is an expression of pride and self-importance, the opposite of humility. Revealing, seductive clothes are the costume of a woman seeking to draw attention to herself rather than bring glory to God. So modesty, then, is humility expressed in dress. It is the attire of the godly woman."

Here are a couple of questions and thoughts to ponder:

1. Modesty is of the utmost importance. It honours God and protects our Christian brothers from sin.
2. Our modest clothing can attest to the fact that the Gospel has indeed changed our lives.
3. What do godly guys look for in a girl? What don't they like to see?
4. What is the most eye-catching thing about you? Your clothing or your character?

One of the helpful things in the book is a "Modesty Heart Check" which I found here. Some of you may well grimace at some of the questions but the intent behind them reflects God's Word on this topic:

"I want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God." 1 Timothy 2:9-10