Jumpstarter 9 of 10

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Question 9

David proposes three “objective universal principles” of modesty learned from early Christian practice: covering most of the body, avoiding tight/sensuous clothing that invites lust, and avoiding costly/showy clothing that draws attention—what heart-motives do these principles target, and how might they require changes in your spending, shopping habits, and self-presentation?

Another way to ask: David gives three modesty principles: cover most of the body, avoid tight/sensual clothes, and avoid flashy/expensive clothes. What desires or heart issues do these aim at, and how might they change how you spend money, shop, and present yourself?

Direct Answer David’s three principles aim at restraining lust (in ourselves and others) and rejecting pride and self-display, so our appearance doesn’t invite sexual attention or social admiration. Applied seriously, they would push Christians toward simpler, less attention-getting clothing choices and away from buying “costly” or “luxurious” items meant to impress.

Support from Transcript:

He argues modesty has objective principles that “stay the same in every century and every culture,” even though styles change.
Principle 1: clothing should “cover most of our bodies” rather than “expose a lot.”
Principle 2: clothing should not be “tight or sensuous” and should not “invite lust from the opposite sex.”
Principle 3: clothing should not be “costly, luxurious… or showy,” where others notice: “Oh, what a beautiful new dress.”
He explains the motive issue: showy dress is immodest because it’s “drawing attention to ourselves… to flatter ourselves.”

Discussion Follow-ups Which motive is more tempting for you: attracting desire or attracting admiration? If you changed shopping habits, what would you buy less of—and what would you stop trying to signal about yourself?

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Jumpstarter 9 of 10