THE BIKINI OR THE HIJAB?

Have you ever been told that if you didn't look the way men wanted you to, you would be alone forever? For some women this means dressing with hints of scandal, for the men in their circles want to be able to see or imagine the curves of her body. For other women, this means distancing themselves from fashion by the wearing of clothes that distract from their figures. The men who surround them demand that shoulders not be shown, or that underwear does not accidentally peek above the waist of a skirt or pants.
Well, that's true isn't it? You might say, “The men that I know don't want to go out with a tramp.” or “The men I talk to aren't interested in a prude.” So, we choose our clothing carefully. It is a part of being a woman. But where does modesty fit into all of this? As Christian women, we are often told that modesty is this sense of covering up that Christian men require of us. But if that is the case, how does modesty apply to women surrounded by men who depict the proper clothing choice as less than austere? Does a woman's modesty really have anything to do with men at all?
In 1 Timothy, Paul writes, “Likewise, the women are to dress in suitable apparel, with modesty and self-control.” In this passage, modesty means “with a sense of honor”. What does Paul mean when he wants women to dress with a sense of honor? Who are they honoring? I'd like to suggest that our clothing choices must be honoring to God, ourselves, and finally, others.
In all of life, our focus should be to honor God. If God convicts you on a particular outfit, honor Him by making a choice that pleases Him.
Next, a woman should honor herself. Modesty says something positive about a woman, and it is a message that the world wants to snuff out as soon as possible. It says, “I want people to see what I wear and say that I am confident, self-controlled and worthy of being pursued”. There is a level of pride that comes across with being modest, as if to say, “I think I'm worth waiting for and worth concealing!” I think this is tremendous. This is absolutely a reflection of self-worth. It's not conceit that should propel a woman to be modest, but a recognition of the truth of her value. And that's a sense of honor for who you truly are: a child of God!
Then, when it comes to honoring others we should remember that our clothes set an example for other women. Would we want our sister, daughter, best friend to dress as we do?
When it comes to honoring men, we must remember women are the protectors of their own sexuality and modesty is their thickest armor. Instead of inviting men to take what they want, it invites men to consider an idea. It is the idea that a woman's sexuality is valuable. It is the idea that a woman does not wish to give it until someone actually earns it. Therefore, modesty invites a man to earn it. This honors the redeemed part of a man, his ability to resist physical desires, which every Christian man is capable of doing in the power of the Holy Spirit. When you honor a man with your modesty, you are saying, “I recognize that you can be a true, godly man. If you are interested in me, I am giving you the opportunity to value me the way God would want you to.”
Modesty is about honor. Honor God, honor yourself and honor others. When you have your heart in this position, you might actually enjoy getting dressed!