Modesty Monday--#24

Thoughts from the Guys:

These are opinions from Godly men. I may or may not endorse them, but I thought that they would be helpful for us to consider.

Modesty is important. It is difficult for me to respect a woman who dresses immodestly especially if they are Christian. For me it is frustrating to see those called to Christ not separate themselves from the socially wrong. Granted that viewing the clothing online and on TV one would think immodest clothing is the normal, but we are called to something higher. Yes you can do it and not necessarily be wrong, but it really comes down to how others view you. In general, those around you might think less of you. Both the saved and the unsaved can see when something is not in alignment. Modesty dove-tails the message of Christ. It demonstrates the purity and holiness God expects from all those who KNOW Him. For example, imagine what you would think if you saw Dr. Dobson drinking. Would you think any less of him? Would you question the validity of his ministry? You might not see any harm in it, but others might start to question his intentions. As a Christian, you never want to have your message be questioned, and dressing in a manner that is inappropriate brings unneeded questions to your walk. Maybe not with your friends or coworkers, but others out there might start to wonder about your example even when no questions are warranted.

Anonymous Guy, age 27

The way one dresses is a personal and cultural issue. I have spent the last few years of my life traveling to many different countries in the Americas and I can tell you from experience that each culture has different standards for what is and isn't appropriate. These standards may or may not have anything to do with modesty. This includes different perspectives within the global christian community as well. I believe there is much personal freedom in the way you express yourself through fashion within God's word, however there are also some clear guidelines that must be followed. The debate shouldn't be centered on the "blame game" or an intellectual shifting of responsibility between whether it is the man's or woman's responsibility to define modesty in the context of gender sex drives. Rather the issue is one of glorifying God. Paul writes clearly in the New Testament about not arraying yourself as a prostitute (in the cultural context). If people are seeing you as a "loose" woman because of the way you dress, you are not glorifying God. If they way you dress so matches the fashions of a sub-culture that is anti-God and others are confusing you (a daughter of God) with the world, you are not glorifying God. Dress to make yourself look beautiful and do so in a way that is personally gratifying, culturally appropriate and God honoring.

Anonymous Guy, age 24