Modesty Matters

Modesty still Matters. Modesty sees no gender. Our minister recently told us that the men in our congregation pray for modesty in speech and action each Sunday morning before they lead worship. Modesty was well understood by our parent's generation but the term today is akin to an alien life form. As for dress, I believe apparel is a symptom of a greater misunderstanding of modesty, which will be my primary focus. I believe that modesty is a universal law, blessing those at any age, at any income level and in any culture when submitting to modesty.


Modesty defined. The first definition for Modesty by Merriam-Webster is "freedom from conceit or vanity." The second is "propriety in dress, speech, or conduct." Breaking it down, modesty seems to be composed of five main components: 1-Meekness [opposite of conceit], 2-Humility [opposite of vanity], 3-Proper dress, 4-Proper speech and 5-Proper conduct. Apparel is only one part of modesty's multi-facted gem.

 

Mom's Age of Modesty. I love this picture of my mother. As a child I remember how statuesque and confident she was. Her outside matched--and still matches--her inside. Mother is kind and compassionate serving others in the name of Christ and doing so quietly, and with tact and humor. She was and still is a good listener. She makes every effort to speak only when she has fully understood something. She doesn't interrupt and neither is she showy. She is a kind-hearted, relatable woman whom other women seek to know and go to for advice. They see her as strong and reliable. Mother's modest demeanor has always attracted others and has been a wonderful gift for me to watch and imitate.



Modesty starts in our Minds and Mouths. I would suggest that one of the reasons we wear what we do and behave the way we do is because of what we think and talk about. When we think in a Godly way and use our talk to bless, encourage and find Godly value in others, I truly believe that God will bless us. Proverbs 18:21 says that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." If our speech is good, then the fruit will be good. If bitter, it will turn our stomachs. Our outside is a reflection of what's in our heart and in our speech; even if our apparel is right, what's on our minds usually shows up on our face.

Redeeming Modesty. Basically, what we think and what we say inspire us to act, which in turn reinforce what we think and say. Modesty is a life cycle. If good, it perpetuates good. If bad, it will continue so unless one stops the cycle. Can one stop a bad cycle and become modest? Yes. Can anyone guarantee us a modest mind and mouth through their advice so that our talk and expressions be flawless? No. Even Christ cannot mechanically make us modest. But He can help us mature in modesty when we do what He says through the study of God's Word. Christ will help us at any point in the cycle so that we can become a beautiful person of modesty. We learn in baby steps. Baby steps lead to big steps (Luke 19:17). The perfect One, God is there to guide us through the process when we seek His wisdom through His Word, and are open to the practical wisdom that flows from Him. I believe that our actions, facial expressions and dress eventually follow.

Mom, this post is dedicated to you! I love you very much :-)

P.S. Let me hand it to you parents who teach your children modesty in dress. Keep it up. They won't know otherwise. I hope this piece is a hand-in-glove with your hard work in teaching them God's grace in dress, speech and thought.