Beauty by The Book: Summer Bible Study Week 2

Welcome back to our summer bible study!

Heavy stuff this week wasn’t it? It’s the kind of lesson that could drive us to living in Amish country and make our daughters wear full length draperies! Unfortunately, the problem of immorality is not a new one and would likely follow us to any cave which we could hole ourselves up in.

As we learned this week, even Jesus’ lineage was sprinkled with sinful women. God forgave their sin and used their mistakes for His glory – and He can do the same for us! Praise God!

Week Two Video: The Immoral Woman

In this week’s homework you learned how The Immoral Woman acts, speaks and dresses. Were you shocked to learn she even goes to church?  If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to watch the Week Two video and see what Laurie has to show us about becoming a Godly Woman instead of an Immoral Woman. (Click one of the images below for this week’s FREE online video lesson).

Beauty by the Book: Week Two (The Immoral Woman) – Listening Guide: Pg. 43

Beauty by the Book for Teens: Week Two (The Immoral Woman) – Listening Guide: Pg. 43

 

Reflecting:

The magazine racks are full of indecency and even the commercials on the family channels of TV are spotlighting immorality as the new normal. The temptation to dress “sexy” is all around us. In fact, it’s expected of us as modern women. We hear over and over again the message “if you’ve got it, show it off!”

But, as we learned this week, the bible is clear on how we should dress. Yes, God does indeed have a “Dress Code”.

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1 Timothy 2:9 says “I want women to dress modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearl or expensive clothes.”

Sometimes even when we feel like we have done our best to conform to these standards, it’s not enough. It helps to get the perspective of the opposite sex (who we are trying not to defraud remember?)

This story that Emily tells about her experience as a teen has some great insight:

But let me tell you the one moment that stands out the most when I look back on my teenage years and how I dressed. In high school, I dated a boy named Richard. He was a Christian, conservative, moral guy from my church and for the short time that we dated, we enjoyed a fun, casual relationship.

One night, a group of my friends (both guys and girls) met at my house so we could all go out together. I don’t remember what I was wearing, but given my parents’ standards, it couldn’t have been too revealing.

But before we left, Richard pulled me aside. “Emily,” he said, “I don’t know if I should say anything or not, but I really think you should change your top before we go. It’s just a little too… low.”

Ladies, I was shocked! (I mean, really! How often do you hear about a 17-year-old male who wants to see less cleavage!?) I learned so much in that 30-second conversation, and let me tell you – I never wore that shirt again! Here’s what I learned:

1. Even the “good guys” – Christian men guys – notice cleavage! Even a little bit. They’re men. They’re visual. They notice.

2. If they’re trying to live moral lives themselves, it makes them uncomfortable. When we tease them with skin, it makes it hard for them to even talk to us. Where do they look?

3. What’s even harder than trying to divert their eyes is figuring out a nice way to tell us to cover up without sounding like 1) a pervert or 2) a prude.

4. If a man does tell you, in Christian love, that you are “defrauding” him, it does not feel good. You will not feel flattered; you will feel a little embarrassed.

5. And lastly, Richard showed me that men who desire modesty and morality are about 1000 times more attractive than those who don’t!

 

I love that Emily, even as a teen, had a heart to please God. As she said, it did not feel good to be told she was “defrauding” someone. How much easier would it have been to say “I’ve done nothing wrong!” and go about her day? Would that remind you of anyone? (Pg 25, Q. 4)

There is a distinct difference in the teachability of the Immoral Woman vs. the Godly Woman. Let’s pray together today that God would keep our hearts soft and tender towards his leading. That we would take the truths of scripture and apply them to our lives even if it stings a little.

Let’s Chat!

In the comments, answer the following discussion questions: (Remember, every week you leave a comment you will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to our store!)

1. Tell us how you celebrated the 4^th of July? (watching the fireworks on T.V. is a totally acceptable answer!)
2. Share one practical way that you have decided to flee immorality (ques. 4, p. 33 – BBB; ques. 5, p. 34 – BBB-Teen).

To Do This Week – Week Three:

1. Complete the five days of homework in your workbook.
   • Beauty by the Book: pgs. 44-60
   • Beauty by the Book for Teens: pgs. 44-59.
2. Watch the Week Three video and complete your Listening Guide.
   • Beauty by The Book: The Indiscreet Woman (Listening Guide: p. 61)
   • Beauty by The Book for Teens: The Indiscreet Woman (Week Three Listening Guide: p. 61)
3. Hop online again starting next Wednesday, July 16th to discuss The Indiscreet Woman.

See you next week for an exploration of the ever foolish Indiscreet Woman!

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