Modesty Starts at the Heart: Part 2

When modesty is mentioned, people automatically think about the way someone is dressing; that’s what automatically pops into our heads, but look at this definition from

dictionary.reference.com:

Modesty:

1. the quality of being modest; freedom from vanity, boastfulness, etc.

2. regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

3. simplicity; moderation.

Notice that not all of it refers to the way someone dresses; in fact, a good bit of it refers to the way someone acts or talks.  When someone has modesty starting at the heart, they don’t just pay attention to the way they dress.  To truly be modest, you have to not act sensually, not try to draw attention to yourself.  Immodest clothes can really accentuate your different postures and make whatever you’re doing come across as bad, but everything can be immodest if you’re acting immodestly.  

    You can never let your guard down, you have to monitor what you’re doing because often we don’t realize we’re doing something wrong.  If whatever position you’re in pronounces a part of your body that shouldn’t be pronounced, you need to change you’re position.  If you walk like an advertisement, that’s exactly what’s going to happen, and that needs to stop too.  Walk and act like you’re a princess of God, because that’s exactly what you are.

    Malea mentioned the Modesty Survey last week, and there are some really helpful surveys regarding behavior.  Boys rated things like ‘A girls position or posture can be a stumbling block’ (35 disagrees, 97 neutrals, 518 agrees, 331 strongly agrees.) and ‘Seeing a girl take off a pullover (i.e. a shirt that must be pulled over the head) is a stumbling block, even if she is wearing a modest shirt underneath.’  (348 disagrees,  180 neutrals,  296 agrees).  For that last one, many of the boys who commented said no, but it would be better if we could wedge our arm into our shirt, and pull it off that way.  

While wearing modest clothes is a great start to being modest in your heart, you’ve also got to pay attention to how your acting and how that may affect the people, especially boys, around you.