girltalk Blog
2011 at 12:50 pm | by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
The Right Clothes
by Elisabeth Elliot in A Lamp Unto My Feet
Only certain costumes suit Christians. To be otherwise dressed is inappropriate.
“Put on the garments that suit God’s chosen people, his own, his beloved: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience” (Col 3:12 NEB).
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 13:14 RSV)
“You have all put on Christ as a garment.” (Gal 3:27 NEB)
“You must put on the new nature of God’s creating.” (Eph 4:24 NEB)
“You have discarded the old nature with its deeds and have put on the new nature.” (Col 3:10 NEB)
“Put on love.” (Col 3:14 RSV)
The clothes we wear are what people see. Only God can look on the heart. The outward signs are important. They reveal something of what is inside. If charity is there, it will become visible outwardly, but if you have no charitable feelings, you can still obey the command. Put it on as simply and consciously as you put on a coat. You choose it; you pick it up; you put it on. This is what you want to wear.
Do you want to dress like a Christian? Put on Christ. The act of honest obedience—the fruit of love for Christ—is your part. Making you Christlike through and through is his part.
(HT: Lucy)
2011 at 3:23 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
For my heart:
In choosing what clothes to wear, whose attention do I desire and whose approval do I crave? Am I seeking to please God or impress others?
Is what I wear consistent with biblical values of modesty, self-control and respectable apparel, or does my dress reveal an inordinate identification and fascination with sinful cultural values?
Who am I trying to identify with through my dress? Is the Word of God my standard or the latest fashion?
Does my clothing reveal an allegiance to the gospel or is there any contradiction between my profession of faith and my practice of godliness?
What do my clothes say about my heart?
For my wardrobe (adapted from Nancy DeMoss):
With my dress, am I guilty of…
...exposing intimate parts of the body?
or
...emphasizing private or alluring parts of the body?
”[W]omen should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control.” 1 Timothy 2:9
2011 at 2:32 pm | by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
My husband, CJ, received the following email last week, thanking him for his sermon on modesty. May we all be provoked and encouraged by this woman’s example!
Dear Sir, ?
I would like to thank you for sharing the message “The Soul of Modesty”—the Holy Spirit used it to convict me of things that needed to change. ?
If there were a way to attach a photo, I would include a picture of a pile of clothes on my bed that are leaving my house today. Low cut or short items or even things that I have ever received a second, sidelong, lustful glance while wearing are no longer an option for me—my closet is empty by about half.
I am discarding them to avoid temptation to slip back in to bad habits-especially in the light of summer’s dawn and the pressure I imagine will be there to “compete.” I am asking God for His help with this and the fruit of His Spirit in my life. ??
When I heard the message you shared I became aware that it is indeed a soul issue. And though it is no excuse, I feel that my “issue” with this subject has been ‘ignorance’ as you termed it—but not an ignorance of appropriateness but rather an ignorance of the underlying attitude attached to my behavior.
I felt it was important to “hold my own” and especially in regards to my husband to “stay on his radar.” But also, it cannot be denied that there is a spirit of arrogance and pride to my immodesty, a call for ‘undue attention to oneself’ as you said. This particular point was what struck to the heart of me and though it stung, I am grateful for your willingness to wield a lance.
As I struggled with what to do in response to the conviction I felt, I wrestled with “covering up” while my husband would still be surrounded and bombarded by images & women who have not yet heard the call to modesty (I truly love those women also and wish to reach out to them. It is my intent to start by example.) But, without any concrete answers of how to handle those feelings, I came to the conclusion that I would best respond by choosing to glorify God in this matter and do the right thing personally—leaving my fears and self image issues, as well as my husband’s heart, in His hands. I am trusting the Holy Spirit to continue to lead me through this as He has already been doing since I heard your message.
This also affects my children, and I hope to talk to my daughter about the changes I am making and what brought about that conviction. I hope that above all they will SEE a difference in me—not just my clothes but the heart underneath.
I will be praying that many more lives will be touched by this truth you’ve shared. ??
Thanks Again.
2011 at 3:24 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
“As women, clothing and appearance are some of the most powerful and important means we have of sending a message about our hearts and our values. So here’s the question. What do your clothes and your appearance communicate about you? What message are you sending? Unfortunately, this issue represents an area where too many Christian women have accepted the secular world’s way of thinking, with the rationalization that ‘Maybe it’s okay so long as we just don’t go to the farthest extremes.’ That’s why we have to go back to the Word of God and ask, ‘What is God’s way of thinking about all this? What message should we be sending? And how can we send that message with our clothing and with our outer appearance?’” Nancy Leigh DeMoss
For more on modesty from Nancy check out:
Caution! Your Clothes are Talking
Godly Garments
Philosophies of Beauty in Conflict
HT: Tony Reinke
2011 at 1:43 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
A retweet of sorts. Last week John Piper tweeted “Teaching your eight-year-old daughter how to dress is not legalism. Modesty inbred preempts legalism.” He also linked to a provocative CNN.com article by a dad who challenges parents to take responsibility for the way their little girls dress.
To help you (and your daughters) preempt legalism and cultivate biblical convictions about modesty, we wrote a series a few years ago called Fashion and Following the Savior. We wanted to show that modesty isn’t an out-of-fashion, man-made rule but an essential quality for all women for all time who “profess godliness” (1 Tim 2:9-10).
And even if you think you’ve heard it all before, the virtue of modesty needs repeating, reminding, retweeting. For we so easily forget the loveliness of a modest heart and the refreshing beauty of modest dress.
2008 at 4:03 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
With the changing of the seasons come the new fall fashions. As we stand in front of the dressing room mirror or our closet at home, John Calvin, the great reformer, has two questions for us. In short, he wonders, what do our clothes say about our relationship to God?
“Where is our gratefulness toward God for our clothing if in the sumptuousness of our apparel we both admire ourselves and despise others, if with its elegance and glitter we prepare ourselves for shameless conduct?”
and
“Where is our recognition of God if our minds be fixed upon the splendor of our apparel? For many so enslave all their senses to delights that the mind lies overwhelmed.” (HT: Justin Taylor)
If other words, what brazen ungratefulness is expressed if we proudly admire ourselves for the clothing God has provided, if we dress to attract the attention and admiration of others instead of drawing their attention to God, and worst of all, if we dress to “allure men sexually?” What kind of “thank you” is this to God for His good gift of attractive, comfortable, and warm clothing?
And how can our minds be fixed upon the goodness and the glory of God if they are consumed with thoughts of what we wear? If we are preoccupied with the latest fashions, which (like the grass) will be here today and gone tomorrow, how can we worship and love the eternal Savior with all our minds?
Sobering questions as we consider fall fashions. I am convicted.
2008 at 9:48 am | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
Today on Dad’s blog you will find:
(1) an index to his recent modesty series
(2) discussion questions to go along with the series
(3) a downloadable PDF of the chapter where these posts originated (“God, My Heart, and Clothes”)
(4) and (YEAH!) a 35 percent pre-order discount for the book Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World (thanks to our friends at Crossway!).
2008 at 6:19 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
I know we’ve already mentioned modesty once this spring, but it bears repeating. The fashion industry and our “porn positive” culture certainly doesn’t hesitate to push immodesty on us day after day, and so we must cling tenaciously to the gospel-promoting virtues of modesty and self-control.
To help us put on these virtues this fashion season, Dad has posted the first in a seven part series on “Modesty: God, My Heart, and Clothes.” These are excerpts from his chapter in a new book Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World due out in September. (More on this book in the days to come!)
Even if you think you’ve already “heard it all,” follow along this week as he examines the qualities of a godly woman’s dress that are always in style.
2008 at 4:25 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
Spring is here, and the trees outside my bedroom window (I really have no idea what kind they are!) are in full bloom. Inside the local shopping mall, stores are stocked with the latest fashions. That means it is time for the annual girltalk public service encouragement to strive to dress modestly this season.
Why is this so important? Check out our “Fashion and Following the Savior” series (part one, two and three) for a biblical refresher course.
Our Modesty Heart Check can also be a helpful tool to take shopping or reevaluate your wardrobe.
And you might find something cute and modest at one of these two websites: DownEast Basics and Christa-Taylor.
Happy Spring Shopping!
2008 at 5:56 pm | by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
We know they’re coming (most of the time, anyway): PMS, morning sickness, postpartum depression, menopause. Yet these predictable, physical trials of a woman’s life still tend to catch us off guard. When they show up, we feel like we’ve been hit from behind and struggle to keep steady amidst physical and emotional challenges.
Last week, my girls and I spent an evening answering questions from the wives of the men in the Sovereign Grace Pastors College. We had a blast with these sweet ladies. The final question was from a woman who was pregnant again and dreading the inevitable postpartum feelings of sadness she knew would follow the birth of her baby. She humbly asked for counsel. How could she glorify God and serve her family in this difficult season?
This wise woman understood the truth of Proverbs 22:3: “The prudent [woman] sees danger and hides [herself], but the simple [women] go on and suffer for it.” She saw danger ahead and by seeking counsel, she was running to hide herself from it.
For the next few days we’re going to talk about some of the ways we can all prepare for the “dangers” of postpartum depression, PMS, or other physical difficulties. So no matter what time of the month it is for you, we hope you’ll join us for a little “PMS Prep.” You know it’s coming. But take heart: God’s grace is already here to help us prepare to glorify Him and serve others. Let’s consider how.
2007 at 5:33 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
The warm weather rouses us to clean and organize; but it also launches the spring fashion season. As we pack away the sweaters and pull out the t-shirts, we’ve got to consider more than style. We must evaluate, and each year, reevaluate whether or not our clothes our modest.
Styles are constantly revolving, but sadly, modesty never seems to top the agenda for fashion designers. As Christian women, though, modesty is not an option. In 1 Timothy 2:9 we’re instructed to: “adorn [ourselves] in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control.”
Recently, Crosswalk.com serialized posts we wrote on this verse collectively entitled: “Fashion and Following the Savior.” You can read parts one, two and three, as well as modesty testimonies and links, and thoughts on wedding attire at the modesty section on our blog. And to help you reevaluate your wardrobe, we hope the Modesty Heart Check we’ve compiled comes in handy.
Happy Spring everyone! May the clothes we wear be pleasing to God this season!
2007 at 4:34 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
Welcome to our second stop on our trip around the web this week!
Several weeks ago I told you about the “Modesty Survey” that Brett and Alex Harris were conducting at The Rebelution. Well, they just contacted us to let us know that the results are in. Amazing results at that! To quote Brett and Alex, “The release of ‘The Modesty Survey’ has resulted in our website receiving over 1.2 million page views in the past five days from over 60,000 unique visitors.” They also informed us that my dad’s message, “The Soul of Modesty,” has been downloaded off their site by over 2,000 families. Do I really need to say anything else? You don’t want to miss this stop!
This is an important topic for all of us to consider, especially with spring shopping right around the corner. Moms, this would be a great tool for you to use in discussing the importance of modesty with your daughters. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity to grow in our pursuit of honoring the Lord in what we wear. Click here to check it out.
Brett and Alex, thank you for all of the time and effort that you have put into this survey. You have served us all big time!
2006 at 10:19 am | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
On his radio show yesterday, the ever-courageous Dr. Al Mohler took on the issue of modesty in weddings. With the help of his wife, Mary, Dr.Mohler encouraged women to dress in a God-honoring way, and exhorted churches to give more attention to the appropriate way to celebrate the wedding ceremony as a service of worship. He and Mary graciously answered caller’s questions in a thought-provoking and Christ-honoring manner. We thank God for this couple and their commitment to the virtue of modesty in the church. We hope you’ll listen to this insightful program today. (To review our review our recent series on the heart behind modest dress, click here.)
2006 at 8:25 am | by Kristin Chesemore
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
...we want to recommend two resources for further study on this crucial topic of modesty:
1. “The Soul of Modesty” by CJ Mahaney—this sermon was the basis for our “Fashion and Following the Savior” series. As usual, Dad says it better than we can. So listen to it for yourself.
2. The Look: Does God Really Care What I Wear?
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss—this little booklet is a wonderful tool to help you study God’s Word on this topic. It’s full of quotes, charts, and discussion questions.
2006 at 8:07 am | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Biblical Womanhood Modesty
Well, it’s time to conclude our two-week discussion on “Fashion and Following the Savior.” Your enthusiastic response to this generally unpopular topic is reflective of your love for Christ. So far, we’ve talked about the attitude of the modest woman and the appearance of the modest woman. Today we come to our final point: the allegiance of the modest woman.
This final point gets to the question of why do we make such a big deal about modesty? Is it because we’re conservative or moral people? Is it because we have personal preferences about how women should dress?
No. The reason is the gospel. Modesty is important because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That is why Paul is concerned about modesty and that is why we should be concerned about modesty as well. For when we take a broader look at 1 Timothy 2, we discover that these instructions about women’s dress are set in the context of the gospel.
1 Timothy 2:3-6 says,
“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”
The gospel message is our motivation for modest dress. As my dad explains: “The woman who loves the Savior avoids immodesty because she doesn’t want to distract from or reflect poorly upon the gospel.” John Stott puts it like this: “Paul’s over-riding concern was that the way Christians deported themselves would not detract from but enhance their gospel mission.”
We have a gospel mission: not only to preach Christ, but to live in a way consistent with our profession of faith. For how can we preach the good news of the transforming work of our Savior if our dress does not reflect His power at work in us?
May there be no contradiction between our gospel message and the clothes we wear. And may our modest dress be a witness to the One who gave Himself as a ransom for all.
That is the big deal about modesty.
