Can we please normalize “body positivity” without being half-naked?
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Before you read anything else, this post is not meant to shame anyone or make someone feel guilty for the way they dress. But if the Lord drops conviction (not condemnation… that’s from the enemy) on your heart… that’s between you and him. I suggest listening.
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Sweet friends, being body positive has NOTHING to do with how you dress! Nothing.. Absolutely nothing. It has everything to do with loving the gift of the body that God blessed you with. Celebrating that it moves and is strong. That it grows babies. That you have hands made to serve those around you. That inside your body is a voice to share encouragement with those around you. That it can carry a sleeping toddler, diaper bag, groceries, and iced coffee all at once without dropping a thing. That there is breath inside your lungs… the breath of God that you did nothing to deserve.
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Choosing to dress modestly (I saw you roll your eyes. Modesty isn’t a bad thing! Promise!) isn’t about hiding behind clothes. It’s about discretion and character. Discretion means to behave in a way that avoids revealing private things. It’s about glorifying your marriage (or future marriage for my single friends). It’s about saving that which is private for times when private things can be revealed.
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Maybe the uncomfortable feeling you have in shorty shorts has nothing to do with your jiggly thighs. Maybe it’s the Holy Spirit asking you to check your motives. I see so many women revealing themselves on social media as some kind of ‘middle finger’ to the system. But what if revealing yourself grieves the heart of the Father? If you really want to fight back against the world, stop believing the lie that to love your body, you have to show it to everyone. That a crop top and booty shorts are the only way to say “I am not perfect and that is ok”. I don’t wear what I wear because I hate my body. I wear it because I want to bring glory to my God in every area of my life, including fashion.
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Scripture tells us that a beautiful woman who is without discretion is like a gold ring in a swine’s snout. The Amplified Bible explains that her lack of character actually mocks her true beauty. Let everything we do be done for the glory of God.
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It is easier to dress provocatively. PROMISE! It’s like every clothing company has forgotten there is a demographic of women who would like both halves of the shirt. The battle to find clothes that are cute without showing all the goods has become increasingly difficult. But hasn’t everything for a Christ-follower become increasingly difficult in the last few years? Let’s be women who rise up when things are hard. Let’s fight culture with truth and humility, instead of looking just like everyone else.
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Read Proverbs 11:22 AMP, 1 Timothy 2:9-10 AMP