Modesty

I have been thinking a lot about modesty and its meaning and importance.  I know that for most of the world, modesty is a forgotten virtue.  Even for many that I love and respect it is seen as restrictive or old-fashioned or even oppressive.  I know that it is a principle that I haven't taught my own children as well as I should.  Yet I believe it is an important and correct principle...and one that blesses our lives. 

Here is some of the doctrinal explanation behind modesty:

For The Strength of Youth explains:

"Your body is sacred. Respect it and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show that you know how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and that you love Him.Prophets of God have continually counseled His children to dress modestly. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and you can be a good influence on others. Your dress and grooming influence the way you and others act.
Never lower your standards of dress. Do not use a special occasion as an excuse to be immodest. When you dress immodestly, you send a message that is contrary to your identity as a son or daughter of God. You also send the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval.
Immodest clothing is any clothing that is tight, sheer, or revealing in any other manner."

Sister Sylvia Allred said, "Originally, the main purpose of clothing was to cover our bodies and protect them from the elements. Those purposes continue, although clothing now serves more complex purposes too. Today it can be an expression of many things such as wealth, social status, individuality, or belonging. But clothing also reflects our attitudes and values. For Latter-day Saints, the way we dress demonstrates our understanding of and commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In a world that constantly tries to undermine our sense of who we are and what we can become, observing the principle of modesty can improve our confidence. By living and teaching this principle, we can help instill that same confidence in the next generation."

Like it or not, people do make assumptions about others based on their clothing and grooming.  In no way am I saying that I think you should be treated with less respect or dignity due to the way you dress.  That is WRONG.   However, in this imperfect, fallen world it does happen. 

More importantly, however, we are each trying to define for ourselves and for the world who we are.  I think the first part of that is the most important.  And I believe that when we really, really know who we are, then the world's fashions and the world's opinions matter far less. That doesn't mean we don't try to care for our bodies...we do.  But we do it in a way that demonstrates self-respect. I'm not completely there yet when it comes to the world's opinions not mattering, but it seems they matter less all the time. 

Sister Sylvia Allred said, "The doctrine behind modesty begins with our knowledge that we are children of God, created in His image (see Moses 2:27). Our bodies are sacred gifts from Heavenly Father and have specific purposes that He has planned. As grateful recipients, we acknowledge this gift by treating our bodies as He has asked us to (see D&C 88:33). We learn to train, control, and bridle our bodies and their physical uses to become like Heavenly Father."

*Why I believe modesty is important:

*Like it or not, the way we dress DOES send messages about us to other people.  The fashion industry spends billions to get people to believe that certain brands are better quality, more stylish, etc.   Media and advertising influences our opinions and the clothing we wear sends messages about what we value and who we are.   

*Our body is a great blessing.  If we really understand our relationship with God and who we are...and if we understood fully the law of chastity to which modesty is closely tied, we would recognize the sacred gift we have been given.  The only person who should see the private parts of my body is my spouse.  That is a special gift we can share with only one another and sharing it only with him makes it all the more special.

*Part of dressing modestly is being humble and not lifted up in pride.  Are we using our financial resources to help others or are we so concerned about buying designer brands, the newest fashions, the nicest jewelry that we consider ourselves above others or don't have money available to help the poor?  (You might consider reading this article:  Modesty: A Timeless Principle for All)

*Why are we so concerned about "fitting in" or being treated fairly or equally?  We are meant to be different!   "1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a ^achosen generation, a ^broyal ^cpriesthood, an ^dholy^enation, a ^fpeculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of ^gdarkness into his marvellous ^hlight:"   We have been given great promises--promises that are available to ALL if they will accept them.  Why would we want to blend in with the world when we are meant to be different and to help others find their way to the Savior?   How will they know where to find Him if we look and act and speak and dress like everyone else?  There is NOTHING I want more than to stand before my Savior some day and bathe His feet with my tears and thank Him and feel comfortable in His presence!  I am so far from perfect, but I really am trying to follow Him and to repent and to keep learning.   And as I learn and grow, I feel less and less desire to be like the world around me.

*I attended the worldwide youth devotional  with President and Sister Nelson a year ago.  It was inspiring and the Spirit was so strong in that meeting.  I have tried to follow his counsel and I have reread their words several times to recapture the feelings and inspiration I felt as I attended.  Here is just one small excerpt from President Nelson's words:

"My fifth invitation is for you to stand out; be different from the world. You and I know that you are to be a light to the world. Therefore, the Lord needs you to look like, sound like, act like, and dress like a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Yes, you are living in the world, but you have very different standards from the world to help you avoid the stain of the world.

With the Holy Ghost as your companion, you can see right through the celebrity culture that has smitten our society. You can be smarter than previous generations have ever been. And if you are sometimes called “weird,” wear that distinction as a badge of honor and be happy that your light is shining brightly in this ever-darkening world!

Set a standard for the rest of the world! Embrace being different! The booklet entitled For the Strength of Youth should be your standard. It is the standard that the Lord expects all His youth to uphold. Now, as His humble servant, I plead with you to study this booklet again. Prayerfully read it like you’ve never read it before. Mark it up. Talk about it. Discuss the standards with your friends. Decide how you can live these standards, your standards, with even more exactness."

Modesty is just one way among many that we can be different, that we can let our light shine.  I am going to try to teach this more diligently to those I love.