Marveling Modesty

by Carrie Christopher

As we explore the concept of modesty, we can glean from two different definitions that will be used to shape this column with the love of Jesus. The first way to define modesty, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, is “propriety in dress, speech, or conduct.” The Christian angle of this is how we can honor God in our outward appearance, conduct and speech so that it is worshipful towards Him. The second definition, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, is defined as “the quality or state of being unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one’s abilities.” May this column usher us forward into the beaming truth of 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV), which says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Prior to my salvation, there were so many years that my outward appearance was my identity. I was a slave and what was on the outside was my master. Call it what you may, I essentially worshipped myself. Selfglorifying, self-exalting worship streamed through outward perfection. I fought ferociously to perfect what was on the outside. I desired to continually plunge my weight down “low” enough, aiming at what the worldly fashion magazines deemed as “beautiful.” The latest styles and fashions clung to my eyes, luring me to dress to impress. I painted my pain away with bold make up on my face, and covered up all of my insecurities with clothing to hide the screaming desire inside of me to be loved, accepted and secure. I believed a lie of man-pleasing and selfish ambition in order to look and feel the “best.” This worldly identity controlled my emotions. My temporary happiness came from whether or not I felt beautiful in what I was wearing, had a good hair day, or a perfect makeup application. This was all rooted in my lack of knowing Christ and who I am in His love. I was striving for perfection on the outside because, on the inside, my heart and soul were starving for His love and grace to free me from the guilty garrisons and shackles of my heart.

When I met Jesus, He began to overturn the temporary identity of inward beauty. His vast, transformative love began to heal my soul in ways that outward beauty never could. But this took time, and lots of it.

You see, I had a mind trained in vanity, trained in appealing fashion. So, through the sanctification process, He has slowly overturned these tables of idolatry in and through my mind and heart with conviction upon conviction curating repentance deep inside my heart. To this day, I still wrestle with these luring lies and have to continually bring them before the Lord. Enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit, my own selfish gain, identity, and ambition die with my flesh.

I aim to no longer dress to please others or myself. Living a life fully committed to loving Jesus Christ first and foremost means that He defines who I am, even on the days when my hair is wild and I have mascara melting away on my face from well-needed tears, or in the seasons when stress comes to steal, kill and destroy, and my weight piles on. We are beautiful and precious in the sight of God, not needing our outward appearance to obtain His love. You see, Christ is calling us to wear what is being basked upon us from Heaven: garments of praise, His Holy Spirit’s power, gut-wrenching compassion, bright kindness, and truth telling. We are clothed in heavenly attire. This adornment will mark each of our lives and those around us with permanent, everlasting influence. I do not need to be perfect on the outside for God to love me, and neither do you. We don’t need to have it all together so that others approve of us, because His death on the cross promised us what we could never obtain through our own perfection: grace upon grace lavished and now being worn as garments of praise upon us, His children.

You see, the “selfie generation” is warring against our flesh in this very hour, coming against the true identity of the Church. The lie of this generation is the self-exalting promotion of one’s outward appearance, of one’s perceived identity. Are we like the world, following the same photo trends, posts and appeals? We may be using our self image as a mask to hide behind, to self promote in order to make ourselves feel better internally, rather than resting in the ultimate truth of who God says we are.

What if each of us in the Church were willing to wear our weakness as a platform for the power of God to be made perfect in us as Paul so clearly did?

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV), “But (the Lord) said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

May we strive to not perfect what is on the outside, but instead run the eternal race, attempting to reveal the inward reflections and beauty of Christ Jesus in us, aiming to live lives of pure devotion to Christ, fixing our eyes on Him as the author and finisher of our faith.

May we rest, trusting that our weakness can be used for His glory, to shine brightly to a nation in desperate need of Him. We do not need outward perfection or beauty, for it will all fade away.

“You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (1 Peter 3:4 NLT)

And so this is my prayer for you and me, reader, that our identity will become solely rooted in His perfection for us, in His lavished love upon us, and through His grace for us. May we no longer cling to what will rot away on the outside, but rather the imperishable treasures of Heaven. May our hearts and hands be given to our Savior and may we walk in freedom enabled by His blood and His power, wholly loved and redeemed.