"... in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works."
I Timothy 2:9-10 (NKJV)

Let's get something straight from the beginning to avoid any misinterpretation, I do not believe that women can't braid their hair or wear pearls. I also don't want you to stop reading here because you think this is going to be another article on cheeky bathing suit bottoms or "modesty" - just give it a shot, alright?

The real reason I'm writing this is because of what happened to me last weekend. I was walking with my boyfriend through the mall and we stopped in Hollister to look at some shirts (hubba hubba, this guy looks good in a button-up) and I turned my head to see one of the workers wearing a large shirt and well, I assume she had on pants, but I couldn't really tell.

As a woman, with a perfectly handsome boyfriend right in front of me, I was so distracted. I became more cautious of where his eyes were going and I suddenly became very aware of my old, ripped, jean shorts and volleyball t-shirt. To be completely honest, at this moment and in my mind, I had nothing to offer compared to this scantily dressed girl. Let me also say this post is not to slam some innocent worker or destroy her character (she was probably a super nice girl), but I'm writing this just so I can share what happened to me as a result of that experience.

As we continued on to other stores, my frustration grew immensely. I would see a cute shirt only to find it was designed to show a good portion of my midriff or dipped so low I might as well not even wear a shirt. I would see a nice pair of jean shorts only to unfold them and realize I couldn't find a size big enough to cover what needs to be covered. I left with zero purchases, a deflated self-confidence, and frustration with every store in that place.

Now, I have read my fair share of cheeky bathing suit bottom articles. I am aware of both sides - the "I have the freedom to choose what I wear" and "Please cover up your cheeks" voices both have really solid points. Honestly, I wasn't sure where I stood until this recent moment in the mall when the truth actually hit me.

The battle for "modesty" has never been about our clothes - it's about our hearts.

I honestly don't think God sits up in His throne room angry that I chose to wear a bikini to the pool instead of a full piece. I do, however, cringe at the thought of Him seeing the innermost desires of my heart. And most of the time, if I'm showing more than I should be, those inner thoughts are very selfish and are not directed towards Him at all.

This is the true problem with modesty or whatever you want to call it. This is the real battle - the battle for our hearts. As a young woman who passionately loves God, I want my whole life to be filled with Him - even my clothing choices. "I'm realizing more and more than my clothes CAN be used to point people to Jesus instead of myself". Now, that doesn't mean I have a Psalm written on every t-shirt, just that I'm making conscious decisions to let my clothing reflect my heart and resolving my heart to be focused on His Kingdom.

If our hearts were where they should be, our clothing will reflect that and it will have a ripple effect on the women around us. So cheeky bathing suits, turtlenecks, whatever it is - let's just get to the real problem and work on our hearts. Once that has been handled, I think the clothing choices will follow.