Some random thoughts on modestry...

I was meaning to submit a post on modesty to the Carnival of Modesty that Mama Archer is having for March, but somehow missed the boat sort of speak because I'm not too keen on how to do the Carnivals. So I thought I'd post some thoughts on it. Here we go.....

What is modesty? Is it important?
Does it mean to cover every portion of your body so that it wouldn't make you seem attractive to the eye of the beholder?
Can an individual be modest and yet be one who shows forth beauty and something to behold?

In the world as we know it, a great deal of time is spent slowing feeding the masses style. The perception that to be beautiful you must be physically attractive or bring forth desire has permeated to all ages across the board. Perhaps this is why we can't seem to find modest clothing for the young. Oh, it is out there, but you have to look high and low and when you find it the industry will make sure to dissuade you by marking it high and pricey. It is almost as if there was an agenda out there to devastate individuals by robbing them of their innocence through the lust of the flesh.

I personally believe there is an agenda. It comes straight from the enemy of our soul. This agenda says that what God has set forth through out scripture is not so. That times change, people change, God's word and standards have changed. Unfortunately, society, much of the church, and the world have bought into this deception. We are reaping from it though through moral decay.

I could sit here and post on all the things that I think are modest. The following are a few things that I hold true to my heart. I believe a woman should dress like a woman because God has made her so and that a dress will do you more good than pants ever could.
That what is good for the goose is also good for the gander and that modesty is a hard thing to legislate because it should come from the heart. (And man looks on the outside.)
It should be done because we care about how we affect others. (Woman affecting men and vice versa.)
It should be done because if not it is as if we are laying our pearls before swine when we go forth displaying those things we have been endowed with, with the desire to bring on attention, impression, or lack of confidence in what God has made us.

Modesty is an issue of the heart. Questions like, "Shall I cover those things deemed precious in the sight of God so as to keep my heart and my brother's heart pure?" needful? They are definitely worthy of our time, prayer, and contemplation. One can do it to please others, but the beauty of holiness comes from doing it because we love God and we love the brethren.

A person adorned in modesty has great worth. They are a token of purity to their spouse and if not married a treasure given wholly to the Lord. A heart that needs no clothing to adorn.