Just for Women Wednesdays: Pursuing Hotness or Godliness?

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine about modesty. In the middle of our conversation I brought up the word "hot" as a possible motive for women in the church losing their modesty. I thought it was a topic to begin to explore. I am only touching the surface of this topic today.

That's so Hot!!!!

I still remember the first time I heard the word, "hot" used in terms of another person.  I didn't think much about the word then, and I don't think much about the word now. The definition of "hot" as an adjective is "sexually exciting, carnal, erotic, lewd, (Source: http://thesaurus.com/browse/hot). If you consider what is really being said when describing a person, "hot" emphasis is placed on a person as a sexual object instead of as a person created in the image of God. That's why I never use the word nor do I seek to be "hot." I really hadn't thought about the way it made me feel as a woman until the other day when I was discussing modesty with a friend of mine. "It seems like more women, even Christian women, want to show more skin than ever before," she said. "Not only is it in the culture around us, but even in the church we have to address the issue of modesty."

Agreed.


So why are Christian women and young christian girls seeking to be "hot?" Is it because Christian women have let worldly thinking of being "hot" skew their idea of "beauty?" Do Christian women desire to look "hot" or desire to be godly and look godly? It's really that simple. There are no agreements with hotness except if you are married and there is a time and place for hotness there!!! That's it. If Christian women are desiring to look "hot" to whom are they desiring to look "hot"for? This desire to be "hot" and noticed speaks to a greater issue of a woman desiring love, security and contentment. The place where that comes from is through a thriving relationship with Jesus Christ. 


When I hear the word "hot," the image that comes to mind is a commercial picturing a woman showing too much skin or a promise from an infomercial about how to get a "hot" body. I never connect godliness to hotness. They just don't go hand in hand to me. You may think differently from me and that's OK. With swimsuit season in full force, many women wear bikini's and prefer them over a one piece. But I still can't get over the fact that a bikini looks like underwear on a lady. I have to be in a bathing suit this summer with my son in local pool and I try to keep covered up as much as possible. I still hate having to get in with him simply because I hate showing that much skin. But I have to do it. At present, I am looking for water shorts to put over my one piece. Modesty is really hard these days because the world is telling women and young girls to pursue "hotness" by the clothing that they wear. 


Instead of using the word "hot" I prefer the word "beautiful" or "pretty." The Bible describes women as "beautiful" in form, or "Beautiful" or "very fair." Thank goodness we can go back to the Bible and turn away from the world to get a healthy view of what beauty we should be seeking.

Consider the following Scriptures

• 1 Timothy 2:9-A beautiful woman dresses respectably.
• Proverbs 31:30- A beautiful woman knows, loves and has a reverence for God.
• 1 Peter 3:4- A beautiful woman has an incorruptible character on the inside unlike the clothing that is corruptible on the outside and she has a peaceable spirit that is pleasant toward others. 
• Romans 10:15- Beauty is telling others about Jesus.

"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23

As a believer, a follower of Christ, a woman; you have a reputation to uphold. You have a charge to be blameless. Our bodies are to be used to build up the body of Christ, not tear them down by causing a fellow sister in Christ to follow a pattern of dressing or a fellow brother to stumble toward lust in his mind.


To sum it up, does your clothing reveal a pursuit of "hotness" or "godliness?"