What Not To Wear: Modesty

Hey, ladies. I want to share something with you that God has really been weighing heavy on my heart lately. One that every girl struggles with at some point in life.
So, let's talk modesty.
One statement that I hear quite frequently is, "Well, God looks on the heart... Not the way I am dressed. So I can wear what I want... Right?" Actually, no. It is true that God looks on the heart. But He is the ONLY one who can look upon your heart. What about everyone around you? They see your outward appearance. What you wear on the outside reveals a little bit about who you are on the inside.
I love the way that Nancy DeMoss describes modesty. She said, “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?"
Which now brings me to a few questions of my own.

1.) When choosing what clothes to wear, whose attention do you desire and whose approval do you crave? Are you seeking to please God or to impress others?

2.) Who are you trying to identify with? Is the Word of God your standard, or the latest fashion?

3.) What do your clothes say about your heart?

4.) If I were to pick any random person off the street and ask them to tell me what kind of person that they believe you are, just by your dress, what would they have to say about you?


"And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves." -1 Timothy 2:9 (NLT)

With this being said, I want to share one more thing with you that will speak the rest of my message for itself. There was a "survey" given to a group of teenage guys about modesty. They were all asked the same question... "What do you think when you see a girl dressed immodestly?" This is what they had to say:

Bless her heart. She must feel like she has to dress that way to get attention. — Ryan, 18

Sometimes I let my guard down and think something I shouldn’t. I try to glorify Jesus with pure eyes and pure thoughts. — Geoff, 15

They need to respect themselves and everyone else around them by dressing more modestly. — Travis, 16

Do you want my sweatshirt? I really struggle with lust, so when girls dress inappropriately, it’s really hard on me. Especially, when I’m in a classroom and can’t escape from the temptation. — Jake, 16

I think that the girl is convinced that it’s the only way she can get attention. It makes me think she’s not self-confident and that she’s easy. — Tom, 16

I think she probably doesn’t have the best relationship with God, she probably isn’t that smart, and she needs guys to look at her, which has a whole different set of meanings attached to it. If she’s pretty, it’s hard not to look. I’m not perfect. I try not to linger and let my thoughts progress to lust. — Matt, 18

My heart says, “Look out!” My mind says, “Oh yeah!” — Trevor, 14

My first reaction is, “Wow.” But then the Holy Spirit is like, “Dude, what are you doing?!” These girls are giving way too much of themselves away to the world. — Ben, 17

I think that if they really felt like they were pretty, they wouldn’t have to dress that way. They have no respect for themselves or their parents. — Mario, 14

I think they are desperate. — Alex, 15

I wonder if her parents have any control over her. — Landon, 14

Sex. — Joe, 15

Well, sometimes I want to look, but eventually I realize that they aren’t the kind of girls I want to be with. — Chris, 16

Where are her parents? — Daniel, 16

I think that she doesn’t have good parents and needs attention. — Cabe, 14