A Lesson on Modesty
Examine yourself…
If I learn that my clothing is immodest will I change in order to be right in the sight of Yah?
If I have a doubt about the modesty of my clothing, will I change in order to be modest beyond all doubt? (Eph. 5:1,8)
Now when people hear the topic is modesty they think that it is for women only and women seem to think it is about keeping your boobs covered up… Now granted modesty mostly does concern women but in todays world it does concern men.
The definition of modesty
Modest – free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness/free from showy extravagance. Properly, restrained by a sense of propriety; hence, not forward or bold; not presumptuous or arrogant; not boastful. (so it’s not just about the covering of your flesh but also your boastfulness)
Propriety - suitableness; appropriateness; agreement with established principles, rules
(definition of modest – restrained by a sense of propriety)
Humble - having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.
So true modesty is about humility, being humble…
Pro 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Modesty is about behavior and attitude, not just clothing…
Now as the church we work on behavior and attitude but we think the outward has nothing to do with it… the outward should be a reflection of the inward.
So let’s start by talking about men and their clothing… let me clarify one thing before I move on – I am NOT talking about how to dress for church – I am talking about how to dress
Ever hear the saying clothes make the man? or “A well tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to men”
Saggy pants / spandex / muscle shirts (tank tops)/inappropriate saying or pictures on shirts (ties)or jewelry /skinny jeans
unisex (one sex/ designed to be suitable for both sexes) There are fragrances as well as clothing and hair styles… lets blur the line between the sexes – It’s a tool to desensitize…
Now some clothing is ok in some places and not in others… (swimsuit etc./shorts in church) There is also age appropriateness…
1) If you have trouble getting into it or out of it, it is not modest
2) If you have to be careful when you sit down or bend over, it is not modest
3) If people look at any part of your body before looking at your face, it is not modest
4) If you can see your private body parts or an outline of those body parts under the fabric, it is not modest…
Now women…
Dear Girls,
Dressing immodestly is like rolling around in manure. Yes, you’ll get attention, but mostly from pigs.
Sincerely, Real Men
Again when Paul says that women should wear “respectable apparel,” the term “apparel” is probably translated too narrowly: it is a term that encompasses not just clothing, but one’s whole demeanor, attitude, and actions.
Defining Biblical Modesty - Modesty is a respectable manner of adorning one’s body and carrying oneself, born out of a freedom from a worldly definition of beauty and worth, and motivated by a hatred of sin and a desire to draw attention to God.
This means biblical modesty is not simply about what we wear, but how we act, how we communicate, and how we relate to others.
When it comes to the subject of modest clothing, the first question we should ask ourselves is: What am I trying to accomplish by what I wear?
From the clothing she wears to the way she carries herself, a Christian woman ought to be seemly and well-ordered (as the text here says, “respectable”).
Ultimately, what should adorn a woman is not just clothing but “good works.” As believers, we are being remade by Yah for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Messiah died so that we might be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14).
Women should seek to dress their lives in works that do good to others, marked with godly love. Our dress affects not only our thoughts and actions but also the thoughts and actions of others. The dress of a woman has a powerful impact upon the minds and passions of men.
If it is too high or too low or too tight, it may prompt improper thoughts, even in the mind of a man who is striving to be pure. In the end, most women get the type of man they dress for.
I wonder if we realize the temptation we are flaunting before men when we leave our bodies partly uncovered or dress in tight fitting, body revealing, form-fitting clothes… We can not over emphasize immodesty as one of the pitfalls to be avoided if we would shun temptation and keep ourselves clean.
Let’s start with cleavage… boobs everywhere now a days … “I don’t know if you know this, but your boobs go inside your shirt”… proper fitting clothes… bras… and a push up bra is not support bra… and don’t wear a purse or bag with the strap between the boobs… If your boobs don’t fit in the cup then it doesn’t fit.
If it’s skin tight it defeats the purpose… clothes are suppose to cover… I should not be able to tell the style of underwear you are wearing.
Skirts or dresses get shorter as you climb the stairs or ride the escalator/ should be at least knee length… we could eliminate ½ the modesty issue simply by wearing clothes that fit properly… If every time you move you have to adjust it, it doesn’t fit.
inappropriate saying or pictures on tops or butts
On occasion, I have found ladies who wore things which were immodest and did not realize it. All looked well in the mirror as they stood there with shoulders back and standing straight up. What they did not realize is that they don’t stand straight all day – they sit, they stoop, they lean over, and their clothes become immodest.
Again - Modesty is about behavior and attitude, not just clothing…
One simple truth about modest – a person must have their heart changed before their clothes ever will…
If I learn that my clothing is immodest will I change in order to be right in the sight of Yah?
If I have a doubt about the modesty of my clothing, will I change in order to be modest beyond all doubt? (Eph. 5:1,8)
Now when people hear the topic is modesty they think that it is for women only and women seem to think it is about keeping your boobs covered up… Now granted modesty mostly does concern women but in todays world it does concern men.
The definition of modesty
Modest – free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness/free from showy extravagance. Properly, restrained by a sense of propriety; hence, not forward or bold; not presumptuous or arrogant; not boastful. (so it’s not just about the covering of your flesh but also your boastfulness)
Propriety - suitableness; appropriateness; agreement with established principles, rules
(definition of modest – restrained by a sense of propriety)
Humble - having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.
So true modesty is about humility, being humble…
Pro 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Modesty is about behavior and attitude, not just clothing…
Now as the church we work on behavior and attitude but we think the outward has nothing to do with it… the outward should be a reflection of the inward.
So let’s start by talking about men and their clothing… let me clarify one thing before I move on – I am NOT talking about how to dress for church – I am talking about how to dress
Ever hear the saying clothes make the man? or “A well tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to men”
Saggy pants / spandex / muscle shirts (tank tops)/inappropriate saying or pictures on shirts (ties)or jewelry /skinny jeans
unisex (one sex/ designed to be suitable for both sexes) There are fragrances as well as clothing and hair styles… lets blur the line between the sexes – It’s a tool to desensitize…
Now some clothing is ok in some places and not in others… (swimsuit etc./shorts in church) There is also age appropriateness…
1) If you have trouble getting into it or out of it, it is not modest
2) If you have to be careful when you sit down or bend over, it is not modest
3) If people look at any part of your body before looking at your face, it is not modest
4) If you can see your private body parts or an outline of those body parts under the fabric, it is not modest…
Now women…
Dear Girls,
Dressing immodestly is like rolling around in manure. Yes, you’ll get attention, but mostly from pigs.
Sincerely, Real Men
Again when Paul says that women should wear “respectable apparel,” the term “apparel” is probably translated too narrowly: it is a term that encompasses not just clothing, but one’s whole demeanor, attitude, and actions.
Defining Biblical Modesty - Modesty is a respectable manner of adorning one’s body and carrying oneself, born out of a freedom from a worldly definition of beauty and worth, and motivated by a hatred of sin and a desire to draw attention to God.
This means biblical modesty is not simply about what we wear, but how we act, how we communicate, and how we relate to others.
When it comes to the subject of modest clothing, the first question we should ask ourselves is: What am I trying to accomplish by what I wear?
From the clothing she wears to the way she carries herself, a Christian woman ought to be seemly and well-ordered (as the text here says, “respectable”).
Ultimately, what should adorn a woman is not just clothing but “good works.” As believers, we are being remade by Yah for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Messiah died so that we might be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14).
Women should seek to dress their lives in works that do good to others, marked with godly love. Our dress affects not only our thoughts and actions but also the thoughts and actions of others. The dress of a woman has a powerful impact upon the minds and passions of men.
If it is too high or too low or too tight, it may prompt improper thoughts, even in the mind of a man who is striving to be pure. In the end, most women get the type of man they dress for.
I wonder if we realize the temptation we are flaunting before men when we leave our bodies partly uncovered or dress in tight fitting, body revealing, form-fitting clothes… We can not over emphasize immodesty as one of the pitfalls to be avoided if we would shun temptation and keep ourselves clean.
Let’s start with cleavage… boobs everywhere now a days … “I don’t know if you know this, but your boobs go inside your shirt”… proper fitting clothes… bras… and a push up bra is not support bra… and don’t wear a purse or bag with the strap between the boobs… If your boobs don’t fit in the cup then it doesn’t fit.
If it’s skin tight it defeats the purpose… clothes are suppose to cover… I should not be able to tell the style of underwear you are wearing.
Skirts or dresses get shorter as you climb the stairs or ride the escalator/ should be at least knee length… we could eliminate ½ the modesty issue simply by wearing clothes that fit properly… If every time you move you have to adjust it, it doesn’t fit.
inappropriate saying or pictures on tops or butts
On occasion, I have found ladies who wore things which were immodest and did not realize it. All looked well in the mirror as they stood there with shoulders back and standing straight up. What they did not realize is that they don’t stand straight all day – they sit, they stoop, they lean over, and their clothes become immodest.
Again - Modesty is about behavior and attitude, not just clothing…
One simple truth about modest – a person must have their heart changed before their clothes ever will…