Featured above Divinita Sole Purple Polka Dot Swim Skirt
Yesterday the question of "The bikini" was brought up on the facebook group. It was definitely good food for thought and a timely reminder of how we should present ourselves this summer. The weather will get hotter and clothing will be shed, but how much? How much is acceptable and at what point is this dishonoring to God?
In all of this chatter, the one thing that spoke to me most was that we must stay true to our faith. I believe that modesty is a choice we make between ourselves and the Lord. Bring it to prayer. Use wisdom. Consider the men around you and do your part to keep them free of temptation. And guys, you must also do your part by staying in prayer and keeping your eyes where they should be.
Certainly we should be open and mature enough to consider advice from wise Christians, but in the end ask yourself if your choices are pleasing to God and walk accordingly.
Those of us who do adhere to different convictions... I pray that we will be patient and kind to our sisters who are working out their salvation. Their choices are between them and the Lord. We can model behavior, but unless that behavior is clothed with kindness and grace it will do more harm than good.
Enjoy the summer ladies, and be true to your faith!
You are loved by an almighty God,
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THANK YOU...THANK YOU for this comment......
ReplyDelete"I pray that we will be patient and kind to our sisters who are working out their salvation."
I have been walking with the Lord for 25 year but I come from a NON-Christian back ground rittled with pain and abuse. When I came to Jesus I was overwhelmed that God could loved me without hesitation. Anyway when I started going to church other women looked down on me because of my dress and made me feel condemned. I have since found a balance and healed from the hurt caused by those unknowing ladies. I also try my "bestest" to love those who are learning and walking out their salvation. (As we all are.) Thank you for the balance you have on your blog!!!
Wow, powerful video!
ReplyDeleteOnly one thing...our salvation is and will be the same no matter if we choose to wear a bikini or not. God made us in nakedness, and it is only when sin entered the world that man was ashamed of his and her nakedness. God loves us for who we are and not by what we are wearing.
ReplyDeleteTarget has a wonderful slimming bathing suit that looks like a summer dress. It ties behind the neck and is v-neck. The skirt goes to the knee with a small ruffle around the bottom. I have 2,one in black and one in hot pink. Very modest and affordable at $50.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.target.com/p/assets-by-sara-blakely-women-s-halter-swim-dress-black/-/A-13507864#prodSlot=medium_2_16
This picture shows here with it pulled up to be shorter because I pull mine down to my knees. We don't allow bikinis in our pool. We feel that we don't want to cause any male to stumble. Especially my 15 year old son and husband. Women have to remember that men are visual and we do not want to responsible by flaunting our bodies.
I love your blog and the way you've addressed this topic...not condemning anyone or saying what is right or wrong. One thing you said has me a little confused however. "I pray that we will be patient and kind to our sisters who are working out their salvation." How does one "work out their salvation"? From my understanding Jesus did the only work that was needed.
ReplyDelete"We can model behavior, but unless that behavior is clothed with kindness and grace it will do more harm than good." I believe this to be absolute truth and love the way it's worded! I think I may just use this quote as a daily reminder :)
God bless you!
It's another way of saying, walk through your salvation or grow in your salvation. Yes, Jesus did the work, and all is by grace. It's not of ourselves, it's a free gift. As we're growing to be more Christ-like each day we are called to live a sacrificial life. Which is a constant process of growing and giving.
DeleteTherefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, - Philippians 2:12
To me, modesty means that nothing in my physical appearance should cause a man to stumble. It means no cleavage should show at any time, even when I bend over. It's really hard to find modest clothing, especially for someone like me. I'm tall and big chested so to find tops that cover and aren't too tight, or skirts and dresses that aren't too short is incredibly hard. God has just recently started bringing the way I dress to my attention which means for the first few years of salvation, I didn't give much thought to the way I dressed and many of the shirts I wore I now consider unacceptable. It is so important for us not to try to be the Holy Spirit in someone's life. I think we should only confront someone about an issue like this if we know them extremely well and it is done in a humble and loving spirit. God has given us much grace, grace which we must extend to our sisters in Christ!
ReplyDeleteI agree, your husband should be the only one to look at your goods.
ReplyDeleteModesty should not end or change at the beach. When we have to ask if a bikini is permissible we have certainly lost any understanding of modesty. It is not where we are that determines modesty but who we are. We have to understand that we will have to sacrifice certain pleasures to maintain our walk with the Lord before the world. I strongly suggest that everyone look over these links.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gerald285.com/index.php?p=1_40_Modesty
http://www.wholesomewear.com/
I think it is important to promote modesty in dress with our daughters at a young age. The same outfits that look "cute" on little girls are "revealing" when they are teenagers and young women. It's hard to explain to your teenage daughter why you won't buy the bikini when you allowed her to wear them as a child. When I was young and would see a woman dressed provocatively, I would try to hide her from my husband's vision out of jealousy realizing I was fighting a losing battle. However, as I've aged and grown in wisdom, when I see a young woman dressed skimpily, I try to hide her from his vision not out of jealousy but out of a desire to protect my husband from sin. I also try to dress modestly because I want to protect others. We should not be doing anything to tempt someone else to sin.
ReplyDeleteAs a mom of a 2 sons who have fought this battle... (One winning with God's help, and one who is losing, without God's help) I am so appreciative of this video, and discussion. Yes, we were born naked, but don't walk around that way now, and I don't believe it is truly about the nakedness, but rather the sexuality of the way we dress. Temptation is very real, and powerful for men. As women, we can't begin to understand this, but we can help make the battle a little easier.
ReplyDeleteVery well said. It is difficult when all the young, Christian women around you are wearing bikinis yet loving them and modeling modest clothing is so much more effective than judging them. Gentle rebukes are okay as long as we only tell them once and leave the convicting with the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI agree that modesty is important, but I also think we have to be careful about making "rules" like no bikinis. A number of men could see the woman above and lust after her in a "modest" swimsuit just as easily as they could in a tasteful bikini. I mean, she's beautiful and she has a shapely body! You can't really hide that unless you put her in a potato sack from her neck to her ankles. Some men even find feet sexy so I guess it would have to be to her toes. I welcome comments to help me work this out in my mind. Thanks for the post!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to this swimsuit site. I love what they offer, and might just have to buy myself one.
ReplyDeleteLove this!
ReplyDeleteWhen her girls were teens, my very wise, older sister told me that she would have her girls ask their dad whether or not an outfit was modest. He's a guy who became a Christian as an adult and is now a minister. He's lived in the "world" and knows how guys view women. I believe that the men in our lives are too often left out of this conversation.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%. I use this approach when teaching my daughter. If someone asks us about it, then we will tell them why we do what we do, otherwise we mind our own. People are free to choose. That being said... I would love to see an article about modesty in men. Women lust too.
ReplyDelete