For All Eyes To See

 

I Timothy 2:9 it lets us know that women should

       adorn themselves in respectable apparel with modesty and self control...



     Most of us gathered around the television on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl and cheer on a team that we probably were never really fans of in the first place (Go Baltimore since the  Tennessee Titans were not in it).  Besides the overwhelming score gap in the first quarter and the electricity power outage after halftime, one of the main aspects of the game that grabbed many people's attention was the well orchestrated half time show.  Many eyes focused on the scantily dressed performer who many said "killed it".  The performance was in fact bold, but I found it disturbing when many praised her ability to get on a stage in front of thousands in the stadium and millions on television and show us things that only a husband should be privy to.  I had to do a double take as I wondered if her husband was truly OK with this.  However as I remembered the many lewd messages that he has sent over the years, it doesn't seem as if he would have any issue against his wife being objectified.

    It was a debate with a co-worker concerning the half time performance that let me further realize that this society appears to despise anything related to modesty.   Although it is great to keep yourself in shape, society says that you need to show almost every inch of your shape without leaving anything to the imagination.  Society sends the message that you are an old fashioned prude if you cover yourselves properly.  There is this subliminal message that a young lady's worth is tied up in how much skin she shows in an effort to cause a man's eyes to stray her way.  It is nothing new to see a television ad showing nothing but a woman in a panty and bra set as if she doesn't need any clothes to go over them.  The jeans in stores are getting skinnier and more flesh toned while the shirts are getting tighter.  Although it is nice to have good fashion  sense, we should be mindful of what message our fashion sense is sending.  We need to be mindful of how we are presenting ourselves and check our motives for wearing the types of clothes that we wear.  We need to ask ourselves certain questions when it comes to choosing our adorning.  Are we representing ourselves in a way that is pleasing to God?  Knowing that men are visually driven, are we dressing in a way that would cause them to stumble in their quest for purity (or lack of quest for purity)?  Are single ladies dressing in a way that attracts the type of potential mate that can not see past what is on the outside?  Are married women dressing in a way that would make their husband proud that he is the only one that is privileged to see certain parts of her?  Is the married woman bringing honor or shame to her husband?  Are we teaching daughters about modesty and the messages that are sent when there is lack of modesty?  Are we teaching daughters what part of their being is most important while detesting the cultural definition of modesty?  Are we teaching sons the importance of modesty when it comes to seeking a wife?  Are we teaching sons how to guard their hearts and eyes against the cultural environment that does not praise modesty?  These are just a few questions we need to ask.

     Sadly, the half time performance at the Super Bowl was a serious representation of the warped sense of standards that the world is passing off as modesty.  In a culture where the definition of modesty is wearing any clothes at all, we must ask questions and check our motives while selecting our own fashions.  Am I saying that we should walk around looking homely and frumpy?  Absolutely not, (I like a good pair of heels) but we need to make sure that we are ultimately representing God in a way that glorifies him.