Friday, November 17, 2006

Testimony of Modesty continued...

The other day I had to quickly end my post because of a pressing matter that needed my attention, so I left off where I was going to mention about being inwardly clothed with modesty and femininity. The two, outward and inward, go together I believe. What gets to me like nothing else when I see a woman in a dress ... they look really modest ... but their heart, attitude, and even they're mindset is totally opposite of what they are wearing.
A few years back, I remember several friends were bringing up the subject of being feminine and delighting in their God-given calling. And it brought back memories when there was a young girl who wished she was a boy, yes, that was me. Being the tough, strong girl I was, I loved it when on the father-daughter campouts they had guns to shoot down old liter pop bottles, and then being proud of on my first shot, to actually hit one right in the middle. How that happened, I'll never know...
So back to what I was saying, the term "femininity" has been new to me within the last 6-8 years or so. Books such as, "So Much More" by Anna Sofia Botkin and Elizabeth Botkin, "Let Me Be a Woman" by Elisabeth Elliot, and a couple other smaller books have really helped me as I search out my thoughts and feelings, goals and ideas.
And also realizing that without even knowing it, I to had been effected by this feminist mindset of being independent, career-oriented, fending for herself and no one else ... in fact, it reminds me of the woman in the Bible in Proverbs 7, "...And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner..." And as mentioned here, as I believe in the here and now, our clothing often speaks of our heart, our attitude, and our very life.
It is my prayer that what ever I wear, that it would reflect "...the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter 3:4
I'm not very good with writing my thoughts down, so if any one who is reading this, has any other thoughts or ideas, please feel free to comment or if something doesn't make sense and it needs to be clarified, please feel free to comment. =)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you on this matter of dress. I am 30 years old and have been dressing more modest for about 4 years now. I went to a church that you could go in your PJ's so it has been a 180 for me. It all started when one day I asked my bible study teacher "if God doesn't change how come modesty does?" I just couldn't understand how Christians thought if the world was wearing halter tops does that mean modest is tight shirts that don't show the belly. If the world went naked does that mean modesty is a bikini? I really didn't understand this and it was the beginning of my journey. I have realized so much since that day and am still learning so much. It is not about what we wear on the outside it is totally what we wear on the inside. God really could care less about our clothes when we are lost on the inside. He wants us to be His first and foremost. He desires our hearts and once we have given Him that everything else follows if we have a servants heart. I was a cheerleader in college so I was at the other extreme most of my life. My family thinks I am nuts but I realize that what man thinks means nothing. I need to please God and try to worry not what others think. (Yes this is hard for me since I tend to be a man pleaser by nature) I just thank God for that first question that started this whole journey. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
Shorty

Cheri said...

Thanks so much for commenting, Shorty, and thankyou sharing about your journey! =)

You are so right, God wants our hearts and when we are in line with Him, we can't but help desire to obey His Word.

Blessings on your day!
Cheri