Modeling-the long and short of it.....

In algebra in high school we get taught;  (x + y)³  =  x³ + 3x³y + 3xy² + y³     
Okay.  Cool.  I thought, "Whatever....." and just got by in the class.  I am thankful for the mathematicians, but it's just not how my left brain works.  What am I getting at?  Well, previous to this post I've written on "Boys will be Boys", "Relationships", and "What makes us "us"?"...... these posts have been an accumulating thought process leading to this one, and if you have the time those posts are the left side of the algebraic equation, and this post is the right side.

What I'm trying to say is; our lives overlap as human beings.  We each effect one other; and because of that we need to be wise about what we are portraying.  This includes modesty.  Now, most of us think of modesty as women's dressing habits, and sure that's part of the concept.  But only the tip of the iceberg.  I think modesty is for both genders, at every age, and is something we learn throughout life by what we are exposed to, what we learn from it, and how we act and react because of it all..... Culture I am sure you would agree has become less and less modest, what was completely taboo 15 years ago is now embraced, not even blushed over....  This is the world we live in, we can't hide under a rock.  But, we can make informed choices and be aware of our influence as we decide, live, and interact with others.     

Here are some various forms of media that have been influencing my thought process regarding modesty; 

  

Link to an wonderful article on the topic by Rick Thomas.

 

Interesting, huh?  Please understand my angle here.... I am not preaching at you.  I fail, I need more information, I battle my own heart when I shop, get dressed, etc.....  I am learning, growing, failing, and praying often regarding this part of my life.

God is not surprised by this at all, and it may look to us like it's worsening as time passes, but really... during the time the Bible was written these issues were very real too.  Idol worship involved sex then, and flagrantly so.  The calendar now reads 2013, but the Word of God speaks wisdom to all generations.  He tells us;

" We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16 NASB

So, Jesus gave His very life for ours.  What LOVE.  Our lives, bodies, minds, actions, motives are able to be transformed because of that LOVE of Christ.  Awesome. What hope. We can be different, we can genuinely love God and others if we have personally received His love by faith in Christ.  So, we get to choose as both men and women..... Are we dressing, speaking, acting, and motivated by a desire to draw others into ourselves for selfish gain; or are we desiring to point others to God who loved us?

Because of His love I want to love others by being modest.  This is a very individual conviction, and will translate different to each person based on their life experience, preferences, personality, and everything else that makes up them.  I am not to judge their choices, but in my own life be modest as God has called me to.

What does that mean for me today?  What does that mean for you today? .....and every day hereafter?