Dancing Through Life by Candace Cameron Bure, Erin Davis Read Free Book Online

Timothy that women should dress modestly and avoid appearances designed to draw attention, that he makes it clear what all women of faith should wear—“decency and good sense.” Obviously, those aren’t things that hang in my closet! But I can make sure that when people look at me, they see me doing good things for others rather than trying to grab all of the attention for myself. This is just a puzzle piece in the bigger picture of God’s heart for modesty presented in His Word.
Matthew 6:28–30 tells us not to be preoccupied with clothes, but instead to focus on the things of God.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 says that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I am called to honor God with my body.
1 Peter 3:3–4 says that true beauty is internal. Nothing I could ever put on and nothing I could ever take off can give me the kind of true, lasting beauty that comes from Christ working in me.
1 Peter 5:5–6 urges us to clothe ourselves with humility.
Proverbs 31:25 describes a woman who is clothed in strength and dignity ( esv ).
Psalm 132:9 talks about being clothed with righteousness.
    Instead of passing down a list of rules for what I wear, the Bible encourages me to “wear” the qualities of Christ. While costuming became one front where I repeatedly had the opportunity to stand with conviction on the show, I knew that making choices about what I would or wouldn’t wear wasn’t the most important way to showcase my identity in Christ. I needed to consistently “clothe” myself in the things that Christ modeled and then called me to—holiness, true beauty, humility, strength, dignity, and righteousness.
    While online chatter tended to focus on what I wore, I wanted to focus on who I am. I am a daughter of Christ! I am a happily married woman. I am a mom of three beautiful kids. I want them to be proud of me and see what it means to stand for something when they look at my life.
    When you take a stand for something, you open up the door for scrutiny. Being a celebrity tends to magnify that, but I don’t want to be the poster child for a dress code. Instead, I’d love to help open dialogue about clothing ourselves in the things that truly matter. I want to use the platform God has given me to point women toward a different kind of wardrobe.
    Colossians 3:12 says it this way, “Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
    The best accessories aren’t the clothes in my closet or the jewelry in my dresser. Instead, I want to showcase the qualities of Christ. When people look at me, I hope they see compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
    How about you? When people look at you, what do you hope they see? Beyond just your hair and face and makeup, what’s your image? What makes you, you? Why not take a minute to think about your image right now. (Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.) In the space below write out the qualities you hope other people see in you.
    A Pretty Heart
    One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in 1 Samuel 16. The prophet Samuel is given the task of choosing a new king for Israel. He knows the king will come from the household of Jesse, so Samuel makes the trek to Jesse’s house. When he tells Jesse he is there to anoint the next king, Jesse parades his sons in front of Samuel, starting with the oldest. Jesse’s sons are big and strong and impressive, but Samuel senses that none of them are to be chosen as king. In the middle of that story, we find a gem that shows where God’s really looking when He looks at us.
    “But the L ord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the L ord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the L ord sees the heart ’” (1 Sam. 16:7, emphasis mine).
    Jesse ended up parading seven of his sons in front of Samuel. But God rejected every single one of them. Why? Because