The world has turned these noble words into bad words. You don’t have to go further than your social media newsfeed.
We know that virtue doesn’t sell but it pays to have it. I’m not sure that a TV show about virtuous people would be a success. Who wants to watch men and women getting up every day, taking care of their families, going to work, enriching themselves, contributing to their community and practicing selfless acts of kindness? It wouldn’t be a success because we have grown accustomed to celebrating the opposite of all I mentioned. I do believe people have the right ‘to be real.’ I also believe that the goal of such reality should be redemption. It should leave others with the sense that there is hope.
There is little we can do about the choice of which tv shows make it to traditional and online networks. My power is in my attention span. If I turn it on, the execs see that I like it and they keep producing more of such shows. If I turn it off, all of a sudden, shows are canceled. We always vote with our viewership, remember that.
I’m not trying to cancel any shows. My goal is to encourage us to think about how are practicing and encouraging modesty and virtue in our own lives.
The shows we watch are part of it. Mostly, we need to remember that modesty and virtue come from the heart. I’m only responsible for my own heart and the little hearts I am currently molding in my home.
It is wise to get educated on God’s view of virtue. Instead of buying another book you won’t read (hello!), do a search in your own Bible and read everything God has to say about virtue. I recommend Blueletterbible.com for such a search. Take a pen and paper, write down what you find, pray through it and ask God how you should apply your findings to your own life.
Modesty can be cultural. Modesty can be determined by society or family. I believe that modesty should be set by the One who created it, God. Again, don’t buy a book on the subject nor go by my standards. Grab your Bible and see what it has to say. Sure, you won’t find a fashion guide for the 21st century with details for every season of the year. What you will find is God’s wisdom for the woman who truly wants to be modest. It’s all in the Bible. And yes, it is supposed to be different than what we see in the world.
We are called to be in the world but not of it. If there isn’t a clear difference in our virtue and modesty, there is something wrong and it needs to be corrected.
Here is the other side of the coin: I’m not called to be the modesty police. I am called to pray for people. Unless I have a close relationship with that person, I often don’t say anything. I do believe that older women carry the mantle and anointing to help younger women who need such help. My grandmothers certainly did. Again, we’re not of the world and our standards are different.
I’m not sure if you have ever prayed about your own modesty and for a virtuous character. It is a work of the heart, which is God’s domain. God and His word are the guidelines for such work. I encourage you to seek it and to find God’s best for your life.
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