Be Truly Confident. Practice Modesty.

In a time of booty enhancing yoga shorts, body positivity, and “love thyself above all else” mantras, the term “modesty” gets treated like foul language. But today I am here to say – modest is most certainly hottest.

I know I’m not the only one who is getting tired of seeing every crack and curve outlined in the gym. Unless you are trying to break a world record for speed, there is no need to be outfitted entirely in spandex. When you show up to the gym dressed in a cute yoga set, you are enticing everyone in the gym to look at parts of your body normally kept private.

It’s hard to type those words for the world to read! The message being shouted, it seems, from every influencer and morning news anchor is, “be proud of your body and show it off! It’s not your problem if other people are bothered by it.”

Practice Modesty for other Women

It is each individual’s problem, though. Pretending like we don’t owe our neighbors modesty is silly. How does dressing immodestly affect the other women in our life?

It is harmful to her future husband and therefore to her future marriage. The next time you see a man (at the gym, in the grocery store, wherever), think for a moment about his potential wife. What is she like? Does she worry about her postpartum belly? Is she overcoming an eating disorder? Does she wear the same clothes from 5 years ago because she hates everything about buying new clothes? We, as women, want to support other women. Right? Do we want to support her even when she’s not around? Of course! So, when we see another woman’s husband, we can support her by not tempting him.

But it can be hard to dress modestly when other women aren’t. When people around us are putting it all out on display, we might be tempted to put on something just as tight. We all want to “fit in” or be fashionable. But it is more of a service to other women to refrain from joining the crowd. All joining in does is heighten the pressure for everyone else. Be a breath of fresh air and a true friend, practice modesty!

Practice Modesty for the Men

We put a lot of pressure on men when we dress immodestly and tell them it’s their fault if they see us. Even if a man averts his eyes when an immodestly dressed women walks into the room, he still saw her. The image he didn’t ask to see is now in his brain.

Plus, what about your future (or current) husband? Does he not get the exclusive views of you? This again is a controversial opinion. We hear others say that our body is entirely our own. We can do whatever we want. But this simply is not true in marriage. When man and wife are brought together, they become one flesh. When you bring your body to the wedding altar, how many eyes have you shared it with?

Those words: temptress and entice and sin may seem a bit harsh. But that is the reality that we live in. Every day, we are faced with temptations. Why add to everyone’s burden by dressing suggestively?

Called By Our Creator

God didn’t intend for us to look at each other’s bodies and be tempted. But because we live in a fallen world, we have a knowledge of our nakedness. In Genesis 3:21 God created clothes from animal skin to cover Adam and Eve. Our conscious makes us shy or embarrassed when, for example, we realize our midriff was unknowingly exposed or the breeze tugs at our skirts. God calls us to dress modestly. It protects us from provocative and perhaps even adulteress thoughts.

Dressing modestly (whether in the gym or on the street) doesn’t mean you lack confidence. Quite the opposite, actually. Our confidence lies in knowing that our Creator loves us in such a way that He sent Jesus to take our place on the cross. When you know your worth doesn’t come from how much skin you’re daring to share or how tight your pants are, modesty is an easy decision. We cover ourselves respectfully in celebration and acknowledgment of our freedom from earthly pleasures.

Want more thoughts from a conservative woman? Read here.