The modesty matter

Lately there has been much talk and debate of the issue of modesty in the blog world.  It seems that everybody has a different idea and everybody thinks their idea is best and will fight with all they got to prove the other idea wrong. Reading all those posts made me stop and think about the way I dress and why. Looking at pictures of our family it is easy to see that we dress very conservatively and we girls only wear dresses and skirts. (If you think that the rest of this post is going to be telling you that you must dress the way we do, don’t worry, you can keep on reading I promise it is nothing of the sort.) I have noticed that even in groups of girls who agree that we should wear skirts there is quite a debate about how long skirts/dresses must be to be considered modest. I personally don’t see anything wrong with skirts that sit at the knee In fact I don’t think it is a sin at all to wear pants. But my parents  believe that skirts need to  reach the calf to be modest. Which brings me to my point. While the Bible is not clear on how long our skirts or hair (or you could even argue on wearing skirt at all) should be it is very clear on how we girls need and should submit to our our authority figure.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”

(Exodus 20:12)

“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”

(Deuteronomy 5:16)

“Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.”

(Leviticus 19:3)

I know that I am in no sinning by submitting to my parents wishes by wearing long skirts and not cutting my hair. I also know that when I marry my duty will change from my father to my husband, there is no doubt in my mind that he (who ever he is) will have different ways and standards in the way I should dress. Think about it have you ever seen two family’s ( besides Amish or Mennonite and I don’t mean that in a bad way at all) who dress the same way? The reason is because there is no complete set way in the Bible on how to dress.  Sure it says you need to dress and act modestly but I have read the Bible over several times and never have I seen a place were it says “girls must wear long skirts otherwise they are being immodest” God puts into men’s hearts the way he wants them to require their family’s to dress. Not only that but different people see modesty in different ways and there is nothing we can do to change that. Like my mom always told me when I was little “it is between them and God”. God has us dress the way he wants us to dress. But back to my main point about honoring your parents with the way you dress. You very may well be right and your parents may be wrong in the ways you differ on modesty, but is it not even more important to honor your father and mother then be right? They deserve all the respect and honor we can give them. Not only should it be my pleasure to obey them it is my duty. This is a hard and very difficult battle to fight but it is one that is worth it. To tell the truth I am not exactly sure how I should dress or how long my skirts need to be or how long my hair should be but I am sure of something and this is that I need to honor my parents wishes and that is what I am determined to do.