Make sure to check out this excerpt from C.J. Mahaney's upcoming book on modesty. What a great word to those of us with daughters. Don't let the world (or especially the church!) redefine immodesty as "cute."
We've recently confronted this at our house. Pastors live on used clothes. Our 3-year-old daughter came into some shorts that have writing on the backside. What possible reason would there be for writing on the back of a 3-year-old's shorts? So they're relegated to play-at-home shorts and she must wear them backwards, if she wears them at all.
In fact, I see no reason for any girl (especially Christian) to want such writing except to say, "Look here!" They mustn't wonder later why all guys want is to get into the very shorts they're advertising! "You can't deal me all the aces and expect me not to play," crooned the country star. Yes, there is a word to be said to our sons as well.
Some may say, "C'mon, Maxwell, she just three and they're just cute shorts." To that I say, "She not just three. She's already three and already processing and learning the definition of modesty. I'd rather her learn that from Scripture, not you." I understand the nature of total depravity, which means that I and my son are like dumb oxen and stupid birds (Prov 7.22-23). We need no help luring our eyes to inappropriate places. Men will take the bait every time. Therefore, I don't intend to teach my daughter to set the hook.
About Me (as if it really matters to you)
- B.J. Maxwell
- Amy's husband & Lydia's dad. Otherwise, just a small church pastor in a small town, with a small mind and a big mouth.
4 comments:
Amen!
Let us be fuddy-duds if necessary for the purity of our children.
For soem reason the church has especially bought the worlds goods with respect to girls' clothing.
Long live the fuddy-dud! I never thought I'd say that. But our daughters will one day love that about us, Lord willing.
Blessings, my brother.
Well said, brother. You've made me reflect upon a year of substitute teaching in the public school system, and this will come as no surprise: The hooks have been set all over the public high schools in our area (and I was in five throughout the year). This may open up a whole new can of worms and take your post in a whole different direction (one you probably didn't intend) and I may make some people a bit perturbed who have the philosophy that we need to send our kids into the public schools in order to have a redemptive influence there (which is commendable, even though I disagree), but with what the high schools (and parents) are allowing girls to wear these days, to send my son into that environment would be like saying to him, "Run along and sin today, young man."
I'm not saying we should NEVER go to places where there are "hooks set" (just go to Wal-Mart this summer and the battle will be there) but wisdom about who we put in such an environment, at what age, etc., has to enter into our thinking.
This is an epidemic, and I'm with you on how to confront it at home with our daughters (and sons), but what are your thoughts on "avoiding the hooks that have been set in the public"? What I mean is, we necessarily must retreat from some places (crowded public beaches come to mind), but where else (and when else)? I've got some thoughts--in fact, a couple in our church and Patty and I were talking about these things recently--but I so appreciate your wisdom on these things, brother.
Biblical worldview and Hebraic Worldviews will always collide. In fact, Greek Worldview (Which if most of us are being honest are living the Greek worldview) collides with Biblical and Hebraic Worldviews. We think and are different. Do we ACT, Behave, Conduct ourselves differently? Do we not because we don't want to be fuddy-duddy? Dumb reason to make our children unprepared for the wolves. Dumb reason to make our children wolf food.
Modesty is modeled and taught... in the home, by Mom and Dad... Who is to be more of a fuddy duddy than Mom or Dad? Black sock wearers unite! "Our girls will not wear banners on their butts and then complain when someone is staring at their butt!"
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