30-Day TRUE WOMAN Make-Over Day 19

... Day #19...

Today's topic is -- TOUGH QUESTIONS ON MODESTY

Today's verse is Proverbs 31:19 - "In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers."

Well, honestly I have never had real problems personally with modesty, because (like the family in the devotional) I was brought up in a home of respect and they taught me regarding this. However, I personally never liked to 'follow the crowd' and wear trendy, tight or revealing clothing anyway. I do get 'offended' sometimes at what some girls wear today... and well boys too... These pants/shorts that hang down below their bums, showing off their tightie-whiteys or boxers to the world is not exciting to me.

Just today I found myself commenting on the 'short shorts' that 2 girls were wearing standing outside our 'local' highschool (the one closest to my home). WOW, so short, and not appealing at all really. I joked 'could you wear them any shorter?' My husband said, 'well they could paint them on'. Obviously we would never want our 'daughter' or her friends to dress in this way. Thankfully we do not have a daughter yet, but we have many 'young girls' who are in our circle of influence. These girls love to dress cutesy, and sometimes 'sexy' in their eyes... unfortunately the world wants that, and allows for that. People who have taught modesty and are living that way in their home are looked at as 'prudes', and it makes me sick. Who wants to see the 'whole package'? Not me! (Whether or not it's a sexy guy or girl doesn't matter...)

But I don't always remember to pray for those girls or guys that I see... I need to do that more. I need to pray that SOMEONE (if not me) will come into their lives and impart the Godly wisdom that they need. For the girls in my 'circle of influence', I need to pray for them more, and to share why it is important to remain humble, modest and pure! I also need to MODEL the acceptable behaviour, speech and dress as well. (along with other role models)

One of the quotes from today's devotional that stuck out to me is this... "So you're responsible to live up to the truth that you know, and then you're also responsible to pray that God will teach their hearts those same truths that you know. If God brings you into relationship with them, then you may have the privilege of being one of the people that helps share truth with them." which basically goes with my above comment. Sometimes I do take time to pray for them, yet sometimes I just am disgusted that parents would let their kids outside the house wearing some of the things they wear... but then I have to remember that some parents aren't always there for their kids, some kids tell their parents how they want to dress, etc. Some parents think it is a cute outfit too... SO I need to pray for them AND their families... and that they will have an open spirit, mind and heart to listen to what is being said. You can still dress 'cute' and not 'loose'!

Our verse today, says... "In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers." -- Well, I am assuming she likes to sew, as it spoke of wool and flax earlier, and she does alot of things with her hands, but I personally had to look up the word 'distaff'... it has to do with a spinning wheel I am assuming, but really the only spinning wheel and spindle I have heard of is found in the story of 'Rumplestiltskin'. LOL! So according to my friend dictionary.com, 'distaff' means:

–noun

1.a staff with a cleft end for holding wool, flax, etc., from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand.

2.a similar attachment on a spinning wheel.

3.Archaic.

a.a woman or women collectively.

b.woman's work.

A 'spindle' likewise is:

–noun

1.a rounded rod, usually of wood, tapering toward each end, used in hand-spinning to twist into thread the fibers drawn from the mass on the distaff, and on which the thread is wound as it is spun.

2.the rod on a spinning wheel by which the thread is twisted and on which it is wound.

3.one of the rods of a spinning machine that bear the bobbins on which the spun thread is wound.

4.any rod or pin suggestive of a spindle used in spinning, as one that turns around or on which something turns; an axle, axis, or shaft.

So this woman is pretty 'handy'... she does things with her hands and her arms (as told in verse 13 'eager hands' and verse 17 'arms are strong'). Each day possibly she is at the spinning wheel creating things to clothe her family and possibly to sell. She works day and night, doing this and other household chores. Now how does this coincide with 'questions on modesty'? Modesty by definition (again) is...

–noun,plural-ties.

1.the quality of being modest; freedom from vanity, boastfulness, etc.
2.regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
3.simplicity; moderation.

So this woman, who is busy at work, is not spinning out in front of everyone, she is modestly and simply doing this 'chore' because it needs to be done. She is not vainly boasting about the work she does, she just does what needs to be done. She takes the initiative to provide for her family. Because she can spin the wool and flax herself, she is able to take that and create clothing that is appropriate for her family to wear. I don't believe any of that would be low-cut/revealing, high-cut/short or immodest in any way. This woman is also seen as the 'virtuous woman' (not the 'virtual woman'), who is modest in thought, word & deed (& dress). WOW! What a blessing to be able to say that about yourself. This is why I pray that God will bless me, and I ask Him to forgive me in all the sins that I may have committed in 1. Thought 2. Word & 3. Deed... 4. Intentionally & 5. Unintentionally!

See ALL blog devotionals (on Cre8ted 2 Share) with the label MODESTY here... IT IS NOT A BAD THING TO SHOW MODESTY...

May you be blessed and be a blessing!