Modesty is a gift to men and women.

Modesty in dress is getting rare. Little see the value in it. Modesty does go all of the way back to Adam and Eve, but only after the fall. They try to cover themselves and God helps them later to have proper clothing before sending them from the Garden. [Genesis 3:7 & 21]

So, why is modesty needed? Adam and Eve definitely saw the need in it, but only after the fall. After the fall, man and woman saw the sin of lust, what it could do, and what it could lead to. Before that, they were sinless and lust was the furthest thing from either of their minds.

What can lust do and what can it lead to? Well, this leads into why modesty is a gift. Jesus taught about lust and how lust is equivalent to adultery, but that begs the question as to why Adam and Eve (husband and wife) needed modesty to prevent lust. With the fall, Adam became inclined to look at Eve as a body for his own pleasure. Lust leads one to think of the body and not of the whole person. Yes, a person is made up of a body, but also of a soul.

With lust, women or men are de-humanized. We are comprised of body and soul. To disregard the body or the soul of a person, disregards the personhood. Women and men who practice modesty keep themselves from being a de-humanized. They also help prevent the other from the sin of lust, which as Jesus taught us is on par with adultery.

Modesty is difficult, especially in our time. The marital act makes it difficult, too. The very act that brings about children that married people are commonly called too lends itself towards lusting desires. But it is the daily sacrifices of a married couple that their desire for each other is perfected and helps them to desire the unity that the marital act provides rather than just the gratification that it also provides.

Modesty is hard, but it is a gift that we should not overlook.