MODESTY

1 Peter 5:5

Likewise, you who are younger and of lesser rank, be subject to the elders (the ministers and spiritual guides of the church)—[giving them due respect and yielding to their counsel]. Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)—[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble.

     ^{When I hear the word modesty I usually think back to my young teenage years when my Mom, would make me do the bend over test to make sure the shorts we were about to buy weren't to short.  I never really thought about modesty beyond the outward.  Just as we dress our bodies each day we dress our hearts/minds.  We can cloth them with different attributes that bless our Jesus and make for a much more enjoyable life.  In 1 Peter 5:5 we are told to clothe ourselves with humility.  In looking closer at the fibers of the garment of humility I found that it is made of modesty. (Literally the Greek translation of humility is modesty) I looked up modesty in our English dictionary and man was I blessed by the definition. 
Modesty: Freedom form conceit or vanity
Conceit: A result of mental activity, favorable opinion;    especially excessive appreciation of one's own worth or value. 
Vanity: something that is vain, empty, or valueless.
     As I shared in the last post the Lord had been drawing my heart to study humility and I didn't want to because I didn't feel like denying myself about something else.  This is classic because in our flesh we think denying ourselves brings bondage but in reality if we are denying self for the purpose of worshiping Jesus more fully then the result will always be more FREEDOM!  Who doesn't love to be more free!  To not humble yourself before God is to choose bondage to conceit and vanity. Conceit and vanity will always put strain on our relationship with Jesus and others. ALWAYS! I know. 
     We are to clothe ourselves with modesty.  A right thinking about ourselves in relation to God and others.  That relationship is defined well in scripture.  I think that is a whole other study though. Blessings to you who are reading. Lets choose freedom today from vanity and conceit.} 

Troy did his Sister's hair! Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder!