****Dress Modestly, With Decency and Propriety

I had no intention of getting into this rant today but I was inspired by Dan Phillips who reposted an item from 2006 titled, "Sister...Show Mercy" over at Pyromaniacs. Dan has done an excellent job of addressing this issue with biblical principles and he does it with sensitivity, diplomacy, and grace. It is worth reading and I will not attempt to regurgitate his points.

But I do want to add on because this has been a touchy subject on my mind for a long time. So, ladies, at the risk of sparking some outrage and possible accusations of being a dirty, old degenerate, I am going to be more direct and honest with the truth that none of your husbands are willing to tell you and most of them will deny. But you really need to hear this stuff anyway. In disconnected order, I offer these random thoughts for your edification:

• I don’t care how sexy you think you look, with the exception of a very few, most women are not nearly as attractive as they imagine themselves. Your bare midriffs with your love handles, pouches, and stretch marks are not all that great to look at. Frankly, for most of you, more covering is far more attractive.
• Pregnancy is a beautiful thing but your “ready to pop” belly, stuffed into a size 4T stretch tee and the bottom half exposed to the sunlight, is not.
• You might think your little thirteen-year-old looks cute when you allow her to make herself up like a Britney Spears wannabe but (pay attention here) she looks sensuous, she looks seductive, she’s HOT. Yeah, that’s right, I said it here first. Is that really the way you want guys to look at her? Well, that’s the way most men out there, the young studs and the old geezers alike, are looking at your innocent little girl and you are not helpful when you allow her to parade her body publicly or worse, expose herself to dangerous perverts and creeps.
• Most men are attracted to female flesh. I'm sorry, that's just the way God wired us. Sometimes when we are walking in a public place and some hot, scantily clad tart flaunting her wares passes by, my wife will ask me, “Did you see that?” I always answer the same way. I play dumb (and your husband does too). “See what?” I ask. “No, I didn’t see anything.” Do you think we are crazy enough to tell you the truth?
• I know this is going to shock some of you but it needs to be said. Just because you are nursing your baby doesn’t excuse you for exposing your breasts. In this culture, breasts are sexually arousing to most men even when there are infant lips attached to them. I know, I’ve heard it many times before. “Breastfeeding is a beautiful, natural thing,” some of you will argue. Yes, it is. But so is making love to your spouse. It's just not all that pretty or appropriate in public view.
• There is a good reason for the use of choir robes in church. It ought to be illegal for some people to choose their own clothing. In ministry, our choice of clothing should reflect our respect for God. It is very uncomfortable for most men, who are trying to remain focused on Him, when you are up there displaying your thighs, exposing your tummy, revealing your cleavage, or accentuating your bosom.
• If you happen to be on a worship team, listen up. I don’t care how much you love Jesus or how sincere you are in your desire to magnify the Lord and lead the people in worship. Whenever anything you do or say distracts attention from God, you have lost it. You become the center of attention and your ministry fails. Don’t insult us or distract us with your apparel or lack of it. Cover yourself and show us the Lord.

I say all this sincerely in love,

“I (would that you) dress modestly, with decency and propriety…,
appropriate for (those) who profess to worship God.” 1 Tim. 2:9 paraphrased