A breeze laden with the scent of pines swept across the green carpet of the meadow and ascended to the mountaintop where I sat, trying to take in the scenery. Everywhere, range after range of mountains rose on the horizon – the Canadian Rockies to the north and the sharp peaks of Glacier National Park to the east. As I gazed at the beautiful panorama, I was awestruck by the silent majesty of God's creation.

But what is this? I bent down for a better look. A tiny white flower, turned upwards to receive the warm afternoon sunlight. The ground was covered with thousands of those pure blossoms, all facing the sun.

They were so small compared to the grandeur of the surrounding mountains, yet that was one of the things that made them so beautiful. Unaware that they were surrounded by things far grander than themselves, they expressed their beauty, whether seen or not. This is the spirit of true modesty.

Flowers don't try to draw attention

Modesty, in truth, means contentment. Contentment is a beautiful thing, and it is perfectly portrayed in a flower. Flowers grow where they are planted, without thinking about who will be looking at them, or about the next person they want to impress. They simply live to glorify their Creator. Just like flowers, we don't need to think about who is looking at us or who we need to impress; we can simply live with a single purpose – to delight our Creator. For the girl who has lived in the bondage of trying to impress, this will be the most inexpressible freedom.

The way we dress can be a means of drawing undue attention to ourselves. Even if we think we are dressing modestly, it would still be good to critically and prayerfully examine our wardrobe, and impartially check if we might possibly be a stumbling block to our brothers.

Here are some questions we can ask ourselves. You might need the help of your mother or sister to answer some of them.

·         Are my necklines high enough so that when I bend over, they won't gape open and reveal too much (from someone else's perspective, not my own)?

·         Do my clothes accentuate my figure because they are too tight? A principle I've heard is that clothing should be tight enough to show you're a woman, but loose enough to show you're a lady. As a general rule, if the clothing conforms to the underside of a curve on your body, it is too tight.

·         Are my skirts and dresses long enough to cover my knees at all times – standing, walking, sitting, bending over, etc.?

·         How much does my skirt reveal? If any of your skirts have slits, ask your mother or sister to consider how much they show, especially when walking and climbing stairs. A recent survey of men reveals that the "peek-a-boo" effect of a long skirt with a slit is more provocative than a short skirt.

·         Do my clothes reveal the outline of my undergarments at any point?

Modesty is a guaranteed protection for every young woman. A simple, modest dress combined with modest behavior surrounds the girl with a reserved atmosphere. This sacred reserve acts as a shield against many dangers. If your goal in your clothing choices is to draw attention to God, and you are honestly seeking His will in your attire, He will be faithful to preserve you from evil.

A flower is unconsciously giving. A flower, exhaling its fragrance for others, is completely unaware of the blessing it is giving. Likewise, the way we dress and conduct ourselves will (unconsciously to us) be a blessing to those around us, and an irrefutable testimony to the power of God.

The source of a flower's beauty is hidden beneath the surface in its roots. Just as the source of a flower's life and beauty is beneath the earth, the pure beauty of character finds its source in a deep connection with God. If we try to cultivate modesty (especially modesty of conduct) without first having a connection with God, we will fail miserably. Our connection must be constant; otherwise, in moments of carelessness, the enemy will succeed in leading us into sin. To develop this connection, we need to spend more time contemplating the Sun of Righteousness.

Flowers turn towards the sun. What would a field of daisies look like if all the flowers were focused on each other, or worse, focused on themselves? It would be terrible – the field would be all disorganized, its beauty spoiled. But imagine the same field as God created it to be – all the flowers facing the sun. It's a beautiful image! Likewise, the person who has given the deepest affections of their heart to Christ, who isn't concerned with what others think of them (for it is Christ they long to please), and who is living their life with the goal of glorifying Him, is a refreshing and beautiful image!

If Christ does not possess your deepest affections and you are focused on yourself, but you desire Him to be the One who is entirely desirable in your eyes, do not lose hope! Make this a matter of sincere prayer; He will satisfy the desire of your heart and will not deny the requests of your lips (See Psalm 21:2).

This rare and precious gift of modesty – the unconscious beauty so perfectly portrayed in a flower – is one of the few things the Bible specifically mentions as being of great worth in God's sight. Christ says the following about those who have kept their hearts pure, “They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy” (Revelation 3:4).

Written by Rachel Krum. Translated by Rute Bazan.

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