Observations from the mall: woman in a short skirt
Today, while walking through the mall I noticed a woman wearing a very short skirt. Actually, quite a few people noticed this woman's skirt and several women made comments. Some said, "oh my, I can't believe she is wearing that." People would turn to their friend or partner and say, "did you see that?"
I was amazed by the reaction of the women. The men just stared in shock and kept mostly quiet, but the women talked about it while they walked. I noticed the majority of women smiled and did not appear to be offended by it. I really did not hear any negative or derogatory comments. Instead, the remarks appeared to be more amazement, shock, or curiosity based.
I'm sure some of the women were thinking that they would not wear something that short in public. I'm sure some may have been offended. But it appeared that most were somewhat amused by the event, and some appeared to be a little jealous of the attention. I was amazed that the women appeared to be more interested and looked longer than the men.
The woman wearing the skirt appeared very confident and comfortable. Her husband walked proudly beside her and I noticed him checking out his wife a few times. He did not appear to mind that everyone else was checking her out. They appeared very happy together, almost as if the two of them were the only people in the mall...unaware of the people around them. They enjoyed each other's presence, and smiled at each other.
As I watched this couple, I wished that my wife and I were that brave and confident. I wondered what it would be like to do something that crazy. As I looked around at the other shoppers, I suspect that many of them had similar feelings and thoughts.
posted by SAM @ 11:30 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Romans 14:10
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother: For we all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
vs11 For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me and every tongue shall confess to God".
vs12 So then each of us shall give account to himself to God.
As a Christian - whose purpose is not to set my thoughts on things here in this world but on the things to come in heaven, striving to have a relationship with Christ and wanting to be identified whith Christ. . . Here are the verses that convicts my heart for my self and my daughter to be a modestly dressed woman . . .
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
ICorinthians 7:19 Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
Galations 5:19-25 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry , participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy , outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy drunekness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness , goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self - control. Here there is not conflict with the law.
Those who belong to Christ have nailed the passions and desisres of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in EVERY part of our lives.
This includes the way that we dress.
Noone knows the intention or the heart of the woman in the short dress. Hopefully she is a Christian. Perhaps God has not yet revealed convicted her of dressing in a way that might cause another person to stumble (lust or envy ).
Maybe he used that woman and the way she was dressed to test the faith of so many that either she or her story came in contact with.
For me , the test was . . . Have I meditated on his word enough to know how to respond to such a subject in a way that Christ would approve. I hope so.
Psams 1:vs 1 & 2
Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners , nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law does he medidtate day and night.
The first law that comes to mind concerning the subject of modest dress is "thou shalt not covet".
The woman was certainly not coveting by wearing the skirt - but how many people did that skirt cause to covet - whether they wished they looked great enough to wear that skirt or were brave enough to be so daring themselves or possibly wished their wife looked good enough to wear the same. We don't know the thoughts of any of these people in the mall.
The danger of dressing immodestly simply opens ourselves up to sin ourself. Whether it is in the thoughts we have or in the thoughts we cause others to have.
We have to be so careful.
Thanks for listening.
Laura - Jer.29:11
Laura, thank you for your comment. Your opinions appear to align with the popular modern conservative views, but I would challenge you to study history and your bible a little more.
I noticed that you used the term "modest" several times from what appears to be a modern context and not a biblical. Actually the term modest as it was used in the bible does not refer to the amount of skin that was revealed, but with the cost of the garment. The bible was more concerned with people wearing expensive clothing, adorning themselves in gold, pearls and other expensive items of dress.
I Peter 3:3 ...let it not be outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel.
I Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel...not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.
Historically, we know that many early Christians were poor, and that most lost their possessions when they converted to Christianity. We also know that poor people in biblical times were often naked, unable to afford clothing, and that social nudity in the poor community was very common.
You claim that you and your daughter dress modestly, but according to whose standard? Are you willing to dress as modest as the early poor Christian woman who could not afford clothes?
I find it ironic that you start out with a verse that says, "why do you judge your brother?" and by the end of your comment, your tone and message are clearly condemning. You write as though God has revealed something to you that He has "not yet revealed/convicted" to the other woman.
James 1:13 clearly tells us that God does not tempt anyone, and that we should not even say that we are being tempted by God. Furthermore, James 1:14 says, "but each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust."
Therefore, God cannot and you cannot tempt another person. Temptation comes from within a person based on his or her own lust. You cannot hold God accountable or blame someone else for it. Each person is accountable for his or her own lust.
The idea that we must be so careful not to cause someone else to fall into lust is based on modern conservative religious leaders, not on the bible. I might add that people lust and desire wealth, as much as they desire sex. That means if you truly believe that principle, then you must be careful not to drive a car, live in a home, or wear clothes that might cause another person to covet or desire them. Do you own anything that someone else might desire?
Several years ago, I was misled and taught false information by conservative religious leaders who taught that we must be so careful. I studied the bible and historical facts, only to discover that their teachings were not biblical or historically accurate. Don't take my word for it, read the bible and look into history for yourself!
Take this in consideration dear blogger, I am child of God who has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. I have struggled with pornography and lust for most of my adult life (I'm 25 now). By His love and grace and mercy I was convicted to repent of these vile sins. Everyday I am reminded the words of our Lord "if any man looks upon a woman to lust after her has already comitted adultery with her in his heart". I physically turn my head or put a hand on the side the imodeslty and worldy woman is walking. I can't begin to tell you what a challenge it is to keep yourself pure both body and mind in this day and age. As Jesus says "anything is possible with God". I dont understand why being as crass and haughty like the world has an merit whatsoever.
MyRedeemer_Lives! I understand that it is difficult for many men in a society that delays marriage and even frowns on marriage. The answer to sexual temptations (I Cor 7) is to get married. God designed marriage as the mechanism to give man the companionship that he needs, to deal with the loneliness and the sexual desires. But the concept of marriage is under attack on all sides. Young people are told to wait, to find the "right one" and there are even those who think marriage is unnecessary (out dated) or that it needs to be redefined. And then there are wives who withhold their bodies from their husbands for various reasons, often "good" reasons in their own minds. But even married men struggle when they have a wife that refuses to give her body to her husband and refuses to meet his physical and emotional needs for sex. This blog is devoted to promoting a biblical view of sex inside marriage.
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