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Today is Part II of my discussion on modesty. Yesterday I discussed modesty for girls. Today, I’m discussing modesty for guys. I’m really excited about tomorrow’s blog. Alex and Brett Harris, authors of Do Hard Things, founds of www.therebelution.com, and all around great guys have done some extensive research on modesty. Some of the results might shock you. I’m going to share some of their results tomorrow. Don’t miss it. But now…onto the guys…

We often don’t think about modesty when it comes to guys, but it’s a very real issue. For instance, just look in a catalogs for Abercrombie & Fitch. No wait! Don’t!!! It’s pretty close to soft core porn. Everyone in the magazines has shirts off and they’re all wearing visible underwear of some sort. And I don’t think I have to tell you that none of the people in the catalogs look like Ruben Studdard or Rosie O’Donnell. Some stores even have shirtless guys standing outside or inside to attract female attention. 

Although females tend to be less visual than males, they are not completely exempt from being tempted by lust. Guys, whether through ignorance or even purpose, we can be stumbling blocks to girls. If you’ve ever been to the gym, think about the guys you see there. Are they only there to workout? Are they only there because they want to get in great shape? A lot of guys go to the gym simply to impress women. And very few of these guys workout in long-sleeve t-shirts or sweatshirts. Usually it’s minimal clothing or something that shows off muscles and form. Need more evidence? Just look around at a public pool. Just like girls try to entice men with dress, men do the same thing. Granted, guys are a lot less successful at pulling it off, but it still happens. Guys can be stumbling blocks to women.

Another failure of guys is that we do very little to help promote modesty in women. It’s hard to endorse modesty when we speak of girls being “hot” or “sexy.” When we treat women like objects and not like individuals made in God’s image, we devalue modesty. Why would a girl want to dress modest if guys only notice skins who show lots of skin? Sadly, we don’t send a message of value. With the way we act and talk, we tell girls that we only like girls that show cleavage, their stomachs, have dark tans, bleached blonde hair, and specific tattoos and piercings. We don’t endorse modesty; we endorse promiscuity and provocative dressing.  

Almost any girl will tell you that she’d rather be called “beautiful” than “hot.” Almost any girl will also tell you she’d rather be loved for her beautiful personality rather than her sexy looks. The sad thing is guys are sending out a message that says, “We don’t care about your personality or your modesty. We only care about what drives our hormones.” 

Guys, if we want girls to uphold modesty, we must endorse it and live it ourselves. We can’t expect girls to dress and act in a way that glorifies God if our minds are focused on the girls in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

The root of the matter goes back to sin. Lust is a rampant problem with guys. Yes, girls should do their part by dressing in a modest fashion, but guys, even if they don’t, we have a responsibility to keep our minds pure and keep our eyes away from the things that cause us to sin. In Job 31, Job said he made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at another woman. That’s not some superhero ability. That’s not something only reserved for saints. That’s not something that only applied in the Old Testament. That should be and needs to be the covenant of every man!

Guys, not only do we need to dress modestly, but we need to give girls a reason to dress modestly. Even if that’s not taking place, we have a responsibility to be holy and keep our minds pure. In many ways it’s an equal partnership between males and females. While it is more difficult if one gender doesn’t keep to their end of the deal, we’re all required to live lives that glorify and honor God with our entire being.

Tags: Guys, Modesty