My friend Kristen has an awesome spiritual blog and on it, she gives passages for she and her fellow blogging friends to do inductive Bible studies on. This week she chose 1 Peter 3:3-4 which addresses modesty. I had already written this article about modesty a while ago and decided to repost. Enjoy!
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When most Christian girls see the word ‘modesty’ they automatically roll their eyes and think, “You’re going to lecture me on my clothes again, aren’t you?” I admit that I have sighed a sigh of disdain over the topic on several occasions.
But this is different. Let’s go deeper into this topic. It’s much more than just what you wear.
Look at the definitions of modesty:
1. The quality of being humble, free of vanity and boastfulness.
2. Regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
3. Simplicity.
Only one of those definitions mentions dress. The rest are characteristics that direct your behavior, personality, and persona. Not physical things, but internal things. Heart matters.
Is your mind blown? Mine was. Turns out, modesty isn’t just about the way you dress.
So what is it about?
Let’s go to the Bible to find out.
9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety [proper behavior] and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. (1 Tim 2:9-10)
What does this mean? In a nutshell, don’t draw attention to yourself through your outer beauty. This passage refers directly to worship practices. Women are not to distract people from worship. They are to adorn themselves instead with godliness and good works.
3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent [respectful] in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste [pure], homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. (Titus 2:3-5)
This exhorts women to be temperate, respectful, and reserved. In other words: Be modest in their demeanor.
3Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. (1 Peter 3:3-4)
Finally, we are to show the beauty in our hearts, not in our bodies. When people notice us, it is not for the mere outer shell, but for the beautiful Godly spirit that dwells within us. Again, women should be gentle and quiet, not drawing attention to ourselves.
So what does this all mean?
If we are true modest beings, we will act the part. Dress is a part of that, but there is so much more to focus on. Being modest will show through in our actions and interactions with people. We won’t draw attention to our physical beauty but instead to our inner adornment.
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