Okay - let's cover the basics.
cover your B's
boobs, butt, back, belly.
These areas should be covered when you're dressed. When you bend over or reach up for something your back or belly should not show, nor your crack (nobody wants to see that anyway) One reason, frequently addressed, for women to dress modestly to help guard our brothers purity, but there is so much more to modesty than guarding our brothers purity. I 100% absolutely agree that it is vitally important to help our brothers in their walk with God, by dressing modestly, to help them in controlling their minds, and leaving a sense to mystery. But then there is also helping our sisters.. so many people in our society, especially women, struggle with eating disorders. When we dress is ways that accentuate our thinness, or our bodies in general, that are quite revealing, other women can see that and it can cause them to act on their temptation to starve themselves, or to binge and purge... or to just binge (a recently developed eating disorder also known as closet eating) - and again, there is only so much we can do in helping our sisters, because there is the aspect of them having control over their thoughts and actions.
But there is another part to modesty - modesty in character, or in behavior. This is one aspect that is frequently overlooked, and almost never addressed, but when talking with some of my high schoolers over the weekend this aspect of modesty came up... what about our behavior? What if we're dressing in modest clothing, but flirting with every guy we meet, and hanging around them excessively, and craving attention from them but also acting on that attention? Or what if we're talking about our appearance and one girl is really insecure about her appearance and another is like meh I just don't care, I'm beautiful the way I am and I know it - which is a good thing to be confidant in yourself, because these words are so unbelievably true - each of us is absolutely stunning just the way we are, but many of us struggle to see this, and struggle to believe it to ring true for us. Now, I am guilty - I have made that comment in a group of girls - the I just don't care comment... I do what I want.. I eat all these calories and have been the same size for x amount of years... whatever kinda prideful comment you can come up with... but the point is it could come off as offensive, or challenging to take in from a girl who struggles with her image, and feels as if she's not beautiful...
In captivating, they talk about a women unveiling beauty, our outer beauty comes from within. A woman that is in love with God, that knows her maker, that is confidant in who she is as daughter of God and woman, is one who is most beautiful. The most beautiful women I know are those who are absolutely in love with God. He consoles their broken hearts, and heals their wounds, he satisfies their every need. There are characteristics of a woman - confidence, gentle and quiet spirit, these characteristics allow a woman to be 100% who she is as woman, and completely beautiful, but they also address the modesty aspect of character, of speech.
So my dear friends, I encourage you to work on modesty in your dress, but also in your character. Most of all, hand your heart over to our Lord. He will satisfy your every need, your every desire, and with him you will become your most beautiful self, and you will desire to dress modestly, because you will realize what a gift your body is and that it is a temple of the Holy Spirit, that God dwells within you, he has a home in your heart, and that is a treasure, a gift meant to be protected, hidden. Think of a gift, we buy them for our family and hide them because we don't want it to be seen before it's time to give it, and we have pretty wrapping paper and bows that we use to hide the gift as well, and then we open the gift to unveil the beauty, the gift.. Think of your body as a gift meant for your spouse, and keep it hidden, protected, beautiful, secret - but you can be alluring in a modest way - showing your beauty, with a smile, with your tender heart.
Alright, I'm beginning to rant now, so I'll stop there. God bless you all!
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