• May 25, 2007
I need your help! AND Modesty
OK, so I have made the decision that I need an alias. Signing my entries as "me" is getting old really fast. I need suggestions. I will pick my favorites from your suggestions, and have people vote for their favorite! So, stay tuned for that. I am actually writing this from my computer. Yay!!!! So, I just got back from a couple days in New England. I am still a little tired. Tomorrow I am going to a major league baseball game with my youth group from church and we are going on a scavenger hunt. Enough about me. Now that I am back on my computer (at least until it stops working again!), I am going to try to get back into my devotional writing habit. I am going back to do one or two more entries on Modesty since I didn't get that wrapped up in a tidy fashion. So here goes.... I am going to start with a quote from one of my teachers from my homeschool co-op. I e-mailed her to get her opinion, since I respect her and wanted to hear her viewpoint. Here goes:
"Modesty is easy to recognize in clothing (a lack of modesty is probably more easily recognized!!!), but to put the concept into words is very difficult. Still, here goes my attempt:
Modesty in any form has to do with humility. Modesty about intellect would encompass not "showing off" what you know without being asked for information or offering information merely to try and impress people with your intelligence.
Sticking with that idea then, to me, modesty in dress would be dressing with humility. With an understanding that God grants us many gifts, which may include intellect, beautiful eyes, a loving spirit, and/or an attractive figure, modesty recognizes our gifts don't need to be "flouted" before people. In fact, doing so can cheapen the gift and (depending on which gift is not being handled with modesty) cause people to look at the immodest person with any number of negative responses - envy, dislike, disdain, lust.
Unlike the other gifts, however, dress carries with it an element of danger. Modesty in dress is a rather uniquely feminine issue for this reason. While immodest dress by males might cause lust, it is far more likely to be a response elicited by immodesty in female dress. While modest dress will not prevent unwanted sexual advances (or much worse) assaults, it certainly does not encourage them. Having seen victims and perpetrators of such crimes, bad choices, either in where the person was, who they were with, or what they were doing (and I would include in that choices in dress, mannerisms, and lifestyle) played a role to some degree.
So, short answer? Dressing with modesty is dressing in a manner God wouldn't shake His head at. It's dressing in a manner that recognizes our bodies are temples and not just showcases for skimpy clothing designed to turn the heads of the opposite sex."
Wow. She brought up something I hadn't thought about. Modesty is connected to humility. It is not about serving yourselves with your clothing, but others. That really hits home with me. I tend to not think of others at times, and hopefully that will happen less often as I get older and closer to Christ. I am realizing that so many things that happen between me and my brothers, or my friends, or anyone can get out of focus when the focus is on me. When I start thinking WWJD or putting others ahead of myself, things change for the better. I dare you to find a self-centered person that is genuinely happy with their life and relationships. It is extremely rare that that will happen, if at all. I just wanted to share that with you today. Be humble, put others first, plain and simple!!
~Me (don't forget to suggest aliases for me!!)~
Comments
• May 26, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by pianolove
I always enjoy reading your posts on modesty. I never really thought about modesty dressing being a humble way to dress before, but that does tie in with what the Bible says.
"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;" 1 Titus 2:9 KJV
As for an alias, umm..., maybe something like Daugter of the King, or Beautiful Pilgrim, or Princess in Disguise. What type of name do you have in mind?
Heather
• May 27, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by sweetpotato
I really like the idea of modesty being an inward issue as well as an outward one. If we don't focus what's in the heart as well, I think modesty can become simply a legalistic ritual (so to speak).
As for names...hmmm. Are you looking for actual, serious names? If you are, you could use the name of a favorite character in the Bible...or a book...or just a name you like. If you're looking for silly names, you could call yourself "Madame Blogette" or "The Big Kahuna" or anything ridiculous like that. Dear me. I don't have very creative ideas here.
Ah well, if I think of anything else I'll comment again.
• June 1, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by totustuus
Oh wow, that was awesome...thanks for posting it!!! It was very good!! *applause*
Your penname could be Mrs. Scribbles? Lol
Oh, and you're tagged!! All the details and stuff are on my blog if you care to do it. :-)
TTYL <33333
-Sylvia
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