Posted on October 18, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Victory Call
Fashion is important in most people’s lives. Therefore, just as in every other area of our lives, discernment is important. As a Christian, your behavior sets the tone for how others see you and your faith. Being modest in your appearance is just as great a witness to those around you as your words.
1 Timothy 2:9 – “And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.” (NLT)
This apparently was the way women were inappropriate in Biblical times. But times have changed! Bare skin and exposure are in vogue. What is modest now was unthinkable for Christians not too many years ago.
One way to discern if an outfit is modest is to ask yourself why you are buying it. Is it something you like or is it designed to draw attention to yourself? Are you buying the outfit to attract the opposite sex? What type of attention are you seeking? Remember, it is not Christian to tempt others through your dress, so if it is something revealing, or you find that people are getting the wrong impression through your clothing, then it may be good to evaluate that piece with a discerning heart.
For some reason the Bible doesn’t seem to explicitly address men and their attire. It is relatively easy to identify immodesty in woman’s attire, but much more difficult in men’s dress. A good gage is the intent of the man in his dress. Does your apparel call attention to lustful thoughts or reinforce your godly life? It is amazing how your very first appearance gives people a rather lasting impression of your personality and life-style. (This is true for both sexes.)
Your body is the temple for the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). That means it’s sacred. I have been requested to close these devotionals with a quote from a famous person. And should we have to look to a Muslim for a wonderful description of what this is all about?
Here is how Muhammad Ali, one of the most famous boxers of all time, described the concept to his daughter when he returned home from a trip and saw that his daughter’s clothes were immodest. Here is the story as told by one of his daughters:
“My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You’ve got to work hard to get to them.’
He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.” (Taken from the book: More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali’s Life Lessons Through His Daughter’s Eyes.)
Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.
Think About This: “When we allow our worth and our value to be defined by who we are and Whose we are instead of what other people think about us, we can begin to walk in freedom.” ― Jamie Grace
The Daily Bible Reading: Matthew 7, 9, & Luke 7. You can download our 2022 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
Consider a retreat at America’s Keswick retreat center.
