ODJ: fashion police
November 1, 2011
[Women] should wear decent and appropriate clothing (v.9).
READ: 1 Timothy 2:8-10
The southern Italian town of Castellammare has created its own version of the ‘fashion police’. The police force there is authorised to fine women who wear risqué clothing such as mini skirts, skimpy jeans, and low-cut tops. One town official claimed that the ban made Castellammare a “civilised city”.
While I’m not sure these laws elevate the city to higher moral ground, I do like the goal of the standards, which was to improve public order. Paul had a similar aim in mind when he penned some guidelines on modesty within the church walls.
In every place of worship, Paul called women to be modest in their appearance. Specifically, he said, “[Women] should wear decent and appropriate clothing” (1 Timothy 2:9). Ladies, I don’t believe this means we should limit our wardrobes to the fashion equivalent of rubbish bags. However, we also can’t rely on worldly standards to determine what’s decent and appropriate. Thumb through a current fashion magazine, and you’ll see what I mean!
As Christians, we’re to “carefully protect those parts [of the body] that should not be seen” (1 Corinthians 12:23). We can’t afford to believe the lie that being attractive means attracting attention to our bodies. Rather, “Women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good deeds they do” (1 Timothy 2:10).
Spiritually speaking, the issue of modesty calls us to answer this question: Are we more concerned with drawing attention to ourselves or to God? The answer seems obvious, especially if we’re talking about a church setting. Bringing glory to God should always be a priority in the life of a believer. It’s possible to honour Him even with the clothes we wear, as well as by leaving some outfits hanging in the shop. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Why is it so important for both men and women to dress modestly? How might you promote modesty within your sphere of influence?
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