Most of the time, as teenage girls, we hear A LOT about modesty, and why we should be modest, and how to be modest. This is a very necessary topic, no doubt. Most girls have not been taught how to be modest, or why it’s important, and they do need to be taught. However, I’ve grown up being taught this information, and I know many girls who also have been trained. It does, admittedly, get a little boring hearing the same topic over and over, so let’s try something new.
Let’s talk about being pretty.
It’s ok to want to make yourself look nice. You can look pretty and lovely without being immodest. Depending on how you’re dressed, you can make yourself look nice without making your Christian brothers stumble over your appearance.
Jayla has already posted this quote on her blog, but it ties in very well to what I’m trying to say to you today: “Your dress should be tight enough to show you’re a woman, and loose enough to show you’re a lady.” What does this mean? It means that you can be pretty and accentuate the beauty that God gave you without being sinful.
For instance, it’s ok to put a belt around your dress to define your waist. It’ll make a too big dress seem just the right size (depending on the dress) and as long as it’s not too tight, nobody‘s going to find you immodest. Looking dumpy is not good, because it makes you look like you don’t care about how you look, or what people think of you. If you’re a Christian who’s trying to influence the people around you for good, you can’t look like you don’t care enough to put on an outfit that is flattering. What’s not ok is wearing a dress that’s so tight you can see your every curve and all of your ribs. There’s a fine balance, and though it takes a while to learn, you can do it! It’s not instinctive, it’s something you learn.
Let’s talk about being pretty.
It’s ok to want to make yourself look nice. You can look pretty and lovely without being immodest. Depending on how you’re dressed, you can make yourself look nice without making your Christian brothers stumble over your appearance.
Jayla has already posted this quote on her blog, but it ties in very well to what I’m trying to say to you today: “Your dress should be tight enough to show you’re a woman, and loose enough to show you’re a lady.” What does this mean? It means that you can be pretty and accentuate the beauty that God gave you without being sinful.
For instance, it’s ok to put a belt around your dress to define your waist. It’ll make a too big dress seem just the right size (depending on the dress) and as long as it’s not too tight, nobody‘s going to find you immodest. Looking dumpy is not good, because it makes you look like you don’t care about how you look, or what people think of you. If you’re a Christian who’s trying to influence the people around you for good, you can’t look like you don’t care enough to put on an outfit that is flattering. What’s not ok is wearing a dress that’s so tight you can see your every curve and all of your ribs. There’s a fine balance, and though it takes a while to learn, you can do it! It’s not instinctive, it’s something you learn.
Please don’t think I’m saying that you need to show off your body. Absolutely not! Please don’t think that. There is no excuse for dressing immodestly in public, ever.
What I’m trying to tell you today is that you don’t have to look corny or dumpy or old-fashioned to be modest. You don’t have to sew your own clothes, or wear a potato sack, or a head covering. We’re not supposed to feel punished for obeying God. His words are not a burden, and we should not treat them as such. You can look really cute and show off your natural beauty, without masking your inner beauty or making your brothers in Christ stumble, and maintaining your purity.
