"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, 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: 3-4)
I try to avoid really popular verses, because goodness knows I have little to say that you haven't heard before. Some things are worth remembering over and over again though. Beauty, particularly in women, is one of those topics we talk about as a culture a lot, so it follows that we might benefit from talking about it as Christians as well. Here I am then, to give you my two cents, plus God's take, which is worth much more.
Beauty is a tough subject. It shouldn't be the only thing that matters, but it is something. God gave us two eyeballs, and an amazing brain to process what we see. Then he wired us to be pleased by certain visual cues. Make no mistake, God created beauty. He created rolling hills, purple lilies, ocean sunsets, and corgi puppies. He also created us, with colorful eyes and nice skin and all kinds of parts that can look all kinds of ways. We are charged with taking care of our bodies, and being presentable to the world. One of my favorite sayings is, "looking nice is a lovely form of politeness". When we put our best appearances forward it shows people that we value them and their opinion. And contrary to popular belief, valuing the opinions of others is a good thing. Being considerate of others is a sign of a beautiful soul, which brings me to my second point: The most beautiful appearance can be marred by a soul that does not walk in the light of Christ.
You've heard the sayings about a smile being the most important accessory. In many ways it's true. Joy is beautiful. Contentment and peacefulness are beautiful. Being a listening ear, sharing wisdom, speaking the truth in love, putting others before yourself, and spreading God's message of hope are all beautiful. Above all, loving others with the love we've been given through Christ is stunning. Part of that is encouraging others in their own beauty.
Strive for the kind of beauty that brightens the lives of those around you, and be open about the ways you see beauty in the people you meet.
I try to avoid really popular verses, because goodness knows I have little to say that you haven't heard before. Some things are worth remembering over and over again though. Beauty, particularly in women, is one of those topics we talk about as a culture a lot, so it follows that we might benefit from talking about it as Christians as well. Here I am then, to give you my two cents, plus God's take, which is worth much more.
Beauty is a tough subject. It shouldn't be the only thing that matters, but it is something. God gave us two eyeballs, and an amazing brain to process what we see. Then he wired us to be pleased by certain visual cues. Make no mistake, God created beauty. He created rolling hills, purple lilies, ocean sunsets, and corgi puppies. He also created us, with colorful eyes and nice skin and all kinds of parts that can look all kinds of ways. We are charged with taking care of our bodies, and being presentable to the world. One of my favorite sayings is, "looking nice is a lovely form of politeness". When we put our best appearances forward it shows people that we value them and their opinion. And contrary to popular belief, valuing the opinions of others is a good thing. Being considerate of others is a sign of a beautiful soul, which brings me to my second point: The most beautiful appearance can be marred by a soul that does not walk in the light of Christ.
You've heard the sayings about a smile being the most important accessory. In many ways it's true. Joy is beautiful. Contentment and peacefulness are beautiful. Being a listening ear, sharing wisdom, speaking the truth in love, putting others before yourself, and spreading God's message of hope are all beautiful. Above all, loving others with the love we've been given through Christ is stunning. Part of that is encouraging others in their own beauty.
Strive for the kind of beauty that brightens the lives of those around you, and be open about the ways you see beauty in the people you meet.
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