Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
1 Peter 3:3-41 Peter 3:3-4
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
3 . Don't depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. 4 Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
WP-Bible plugin
In today’s society one must only turn on the television or browse the magazines at the check out line to see the world’s view on beauty. Women with gorgeous hair and teeth stare back at you with perfect makeup and tans. In the last several decades the ideal size has dropped from a 12 to a 2. Women look at these images and feel inadequate and remain on a continuing task to change their body image into what Hollywood or New York dictate as perfect. What we don’t see is the anguish behind the smiles of the perfect models as they struggle through eating disorders and surgeries to remain young and desirable by the flesh market.
Today’s scripture shows us God’s view on beauty and it has nothing to do with fashion whatsoever. Quite the contrary, God is specific in having His human writer, which is Peter in this case, to address true beauty which comes from the innerself. God desires a gentle and quiet spirit within us that seeks Him first. A spirit which is led by Him and flows outward to others.
The most beautiful women I have ever known possess this spirit. They have varying degrees of outward beauty when judged by society’s standards but an undeniable inner beauty that manifests itself outwardly in a radiant love for Christ. I have met total strangers whom I knew immediately were my sisters in Christ because of this radiant glow the presence of Christ had given them. In the eyes of God, a truly outstanding display of His most beautiful creation.
0 Comments.