According to Titus 2, we younger women should:
Love our husbands
Love our children
Be discreet
Chaste
Homemakers
&
Obedient to our husbands
So that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.
As wives and mothers, these are the things that should consume us, apart from sitting at the feet of Jesus. And in the paticular post I would like to elaborate on the highlighted verses in regards to how we present ourselves (i.e. dress).
Chaste translates as “pure” four times, “chaste” three times, and “clear” once. 1 exciting reverence, venerable, sacred. 2 pure. 2a pure from carnality, chaste, modest. 2b pure from every fault, immaculate. 2c clean.g and showing prudence and self restraint." Discreet of a sound mind, sane, in one’s senses. 2 curbing one’s desires and impulses, self-controlled, temperate. (Stong's Lexicon).
I choose these two commands because they are ones that I have been speaking about to my 6 year old daughter. First off, I must be her example. Dressing modestly and behaving in a way that does not cause attention to be drawn to myself. Thankfully, I have a husband that monitors everything I wear, lovingly letting me know when something is inappropriate--giving me opportunity to be "obedient to ones husband."
I am going to be very honest. I am disgusted by the dress of many women in the American church, and even more so among wives of men in leadership. Low scooped shirts, tight jeans and short skirts/shorts. It is not a matter of legalism, rules, etc. but rather a matter of being chaste and discreet so that the Word of God will not be blasphemed. There is also the other extreme where women are so 'covered' one often wonders if they have stepped into "little house" days. Either way, we as Christian women should not draw attention to ourselves. Be above reproach. And not cause other sisters to stumble. This is our calling. Not from man but from God. The Bible says that it is our "good works" that people need to see--not our long slender legs or cleavage.
By no means am I posting this to cause division or "lay heavy burdens" upon the shoulders of my sisters. But rather, "in these last days" encourage and exhort us to be women above reproach.
2 comments:
Amen!!! Imagine if we were so consumed with "doing good" (compelled by the love of Christ) that we didn't have time to be pre-occupied with stylish or flatering clothes. At the same time I say that I realize that I too have been very immodest and more concerned with catching someone's eye in my past rather than doing good to them in the name of Christ. Thankfully, He's transforming me. The more He does the more disgusted with the natural me I am!
Recently God has been filling me with joy in taking note of what I where and asking myself, "Is this modest?" When I'm with my husband I seek to catch HIS eye. But when he's not around I've been seeking to be a good example to my boys of a confident woman of God who dresses modestly and femininely and doesn't spend all her time dressing up but rather rolling up my sleeves to do some good.
I need to be reminded that this is an area where I can uphold the word of God or blaspheme it. That's all that really matters. Not if other women think I'm hip or too strict, but that God's word is honored.
Thanks for speaking the truth.
Sheila
ooops! I meant, "What I wear."
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