Ok, so I have seen a gazillion modesty posts this year, and it's starting to get a little annoying. I just don't understand how dressing modestly can be so difficult to understand. When it comes to modesty I think it applies to both women AND men. Women can dress immodestly by wearing revealing, tight clothing. Men can dress immodestly by not wearing a shirt in public (not talking about swimming here) or shorts/pants that hang too low. A man and a woman can both lust after the opposite sex when they are dressed immodestly, but I do believe it is your responsibility to look away (hum your favorite hymn) and to dress appropriately yourself.
What I feel like people are failing to see is what the importance of modesty is: 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17 KJV: 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Here it is folks, plain and simple. Our bodies are temples. We are holy. We are sacred. We are children of God. He loves us and he wants us to use our bodies in positive ways. Sister Elaine S. Dalton says this in her talk "Stay on the Path":
Virtue encompasses modesty—in thought, language, dress, and demeanor. And modesty is the foundation stone of chastity. Just as one does not hike trails inhabited by rattlesnakes barefoot, similarly in today’s world it is essential to our very safety to be modest. When we are modest, we show others that we understand our relationship with our Father in Heaven as His [sons and] daughters. We demonstrate that we love Him and that we will stand as a witness of Him in all things. Being modest lets others know that we “cherish virtue”. Modesty is not a matter of being “hip.” It is a matter of the heart and being holy. It is not about being fashionable. It is about being faithful. It is not about being cool. It is about being chaste and keeping covenants. It is not about being popular, but about being pure. Modesty has everything to do with keeping our footing securely on the path of chastity and virtue.
So there you have it. Dressing modestly is about "you". You dressing modestly shows your Heavenly Father how much YOU love him. Dressing modestly shows how much YOU value the gift of having a body. (Not everyone was blessed with one. Want to learn more? Read the Book of Mormon.) Your body is a temple. I know there are those out there who struggle with this concept and who were raised with different beliefs than me. I know it is not always easy and popular to do the right thing, but let's quit arguing about whether it's the girls fault because she dressed immodestly or the man's fault because he looked. Let's just get back to basics and remember why we dress modestly in the first place. My friends, please don't take this as if I'm judging you. I realize that we do not all grow up with the same beliefs and this post is not directed at anyone to hurt feelings or to make you feel ashamed or angry. I simply wish to remind you that you are a son or daughter of God and that He loves you! If you do not know that, get down on your knees or say a prayer in your heart and you will feel his love for you. Your body was made in His image. It is sacred. It is a temple. Modesty is reflected in your language, in your appearance and actions. Modesty reflects a desire to be clean and pure. "The word modesty means 'measured'. It is related to moderate. It implies 'decency, and propriety...in thought, language, dress, and behavior" (in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 5 vols. [1992], 2:932).
If there is one thing I wish that you go away with after reading this, it is to feel a little more awe and reverence for your body. It is a beautiful thing. Shouldn't we dress ourselves to reflect that beauty? Shouldn't we dress to impress God?
