In today’s world, in today’s culture, we tend to see “beauty” in ways that is so masked, painted on, bo-toxed, bronzed, highlighted, enhanced, collagen peeled, retinol restored, anti-aged, photo-shopped, smooth, shiny, thin, tight and toned, and all together packaged to “perfection” as humanly possible. And the one who tends to so wrongly define perfection is, unfortunately, ourselves. We have in our minds how we’re suppose to look and how we should present ourselves in order to beautiful, and the truth is … we come to these conclusions based on the standards of this world. This age. This generation. Look back to the 1800’s – the women during that century looked nothing like the women of today. Not even close. Then look back to the women of the 1950’s, the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s, 90’s. All the styles, makeup, hair, fashion … all drastically changed from one decade to another. Yet, all women depicted what the culture defined as “beautiful.”
Today, if there were just three words, just three, out of the entire English language, that I could offer to you to consider as you look into the mirror each day it would be these: “You are beautiful.” And those three words are inspired by the Living Word, Jesus Christ, as He and His Father and the Holy Spirit agree are true of YOU when you possess a gentle and quiet spirit. When you live with words and works of kindness, meekness, gentleness, goodness, and faithfulness, you are pleasing in God’s sight. That is a ‘pleasing’ that He calls beautiful. The word, beautiful, literally means in the context of 1 Peter 3:3-4, valuable. It is a most valuable thing when a woman learns to live with such a gentle and quiet demeanor.
“Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornament or fine clothes. Instead, it should consist of what is inside the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God’s eyes.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
The opposite is true, too. A loud, unkind, harsh, mean and controlling spirit is not beautiful in God’s sight – but ugly. A woman is not beautiful, no matter how made-up and decorated the outside may look, when the inside is ugly and unkept. And how do we see the inside of a woman? It’s through her words. Listen to her – inner beauty or inner ugly will be seen in what is heard through her mouth – the overflow of what’s really in her heart.
Be Inspired: Before putting on your makeup, dressing in your cutest outfits, or froo-frooing your hair, first beautify yourself by reading, praying and meditating on the words of God found in His Bible. Purify and beautify your heart every day through Bible reading and prayer, then your speech will be gracious, your eyes will be radiant with the love of Christ, your face glow with the glory of God’s presence, and your behaviors will beam with the light of His righteousness. If this will be your daily desire and practice, then a gentle and quiet spirit will be yours and you will hear the overflow of your Father’s own heart as He looks to you and so passionately and pleasantly says, “You are beautiful. You are valuable…to Me.”
