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"You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
And there is no blemish in you."
Song of Solomon 4:7
Once upon a time, many years ago, women were respected. They had honor and dignity because of who they were and what they did for their families rather than what they looked like. Men stood up at the dinner table when a woman walked into the room. They tipped their hats to the ladies. They opened doors for them. They watched their language when a woman was present. Men were the bread-winners in the families and respected their wives for caring for the children. Yet sadly, these customs have almost disappeared in today's culture.
Women have been so exploited that they have turned things upside-down. They have forgotten that their body is a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in them (1 Corinthians 3:16). It's almost as if women are seeking ways to devalue themselves. 'Who can wear the lowest and tightest hip-huggers? Who can wear the most-revealing halter top? Who can act the most vulgar on TV? Who can have the most guys chasing after them?' Are these things truly desirable or are women acting like this because they are trying to fill a deep void in their lives and gain the wrong kind of acceptance? I like The Living Bible’s paraphrase of 1 Peter 3:3-4:
"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on jewelry, or beautiful clothes, or hair arrangement. Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God."
Let's go back to Song of Solomon and a few other Bible verses about women and beauty. When Solomon said, "There is no blemish in you", do we think that this woman was actually the perfect creation? Probably not. We do not know what her physical appearance really was, but more than likely, she wasn't blemish-free; she was human just as we all are. But obviously Solomon did not notice any blemishes. He constantly referred to her as 'beautiful'. He probably loved her inner beauty just as much, if not more, than her outer beauty. Solomon admired his bride-to-be's purity because her body was for her husband's eyes alone. No other man had seen the hidden physical beauty she possessed. This maiden realized that her virginity and purity was to be kept holy until marriage. Solomon said: "A garden locked is my sister, my bride, A rock garden locked, a spring sealed up." (Song of Solomon 4:12). He was praising the fact that she was saving herself especially for him. Her garden, which was her body, was locked as a treasure for only her husband to gaze upon, not the whole community. "A spring sealed up"... She was not flaunting herself for the world to see. She was for Solomon's eyes only, not any other man's.
We must remember that we are either slaves to the Lord or slaves to sin in how we present our bodies. Will we make the choice to prove ourselves feminine, pure, modest, and thus eternally beautiful in God's eyes? Or will we make the choice to prove ourselves impure, unrighteous, and immodest, and thus obtaining a fake, worldly 'beauty' that passes away with this world? "Do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness" (Romans 6:13). Women today have forgotten the command to keep their bodies sealed-up, holy, and saved for their husbands. "For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20). They go around flaunting what is supposed to be sacred and glorifying to the Lord. They do not even think about what their husbands would desire. More than likely, the husbands yearn for the exact same thing that Solomon praised about his wife; keeping their bodies private, both physically and visually.
Have you noticed that a material possession loses its value when it gets used, worn, and trampled upon? Unfortunately, the same thing can be applied to people as well. When a woman gives herself away physically, or when she visually exposes the most private areas of her body in the revealing clothing she wears, she ultimately loses her self-worth. This is Satan's scheme to keep her in a continual cycle of self-destruction. How can a woman grow closer to a perfect Savior when she views herself as cheap, degraded and impure?
The answer is in Jesus! God says that once we accept His Son, Jesus, as our Savior, we are holy, washed white as snow, clean!! Isaiah 54 says, "You will forget the shame of your youth...For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the LORD of hosts; For the LORD has called you...like a woman rejected in youth...For a brief moment I forsook you, But with great compassion I will gather you. In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you', says the LORD your Redeemer."
The dangerous shift to immorality, promiscuity and sexuality that we are currently living with may never cease, but there is something we, as Christians, can do about it. We can teach our children differently and "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" (Ephesians 4:1). We can return to the Biblical principles established for women. We can clothe ourselves with inner and outer purity and teach our daughters to do the same. We can teach our husbands and sons that we are worthy of honor, dignity, and respect by honoring them, acting dignified, and dressing respectfully and not in ways that will bring temptation to their eyes purposely. And finally, and most importantly, we must keep our focus on the Lord and honor Him in all of our decision-making, even in the types of clothing that we choose for ourselves and in the manner in which we present our bodies. "To God Be The Glory!"
I have spoken to young ladies in Bible study settings about the importance of purity and modesty in a young Christian woman's life. To read an overview of what I discuss, Click here.
"Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at her future." Proverbs 31:25
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