The Allure of Outward Beauty

The Word of God has much to say about a woman's lasting beauty. Let's take a look at some of the verses and take heed of the instruction.

1. Proverbs 31:30, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

2. 1 Timothy 2:9-10, "in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing."

3. 1 Peter 3:3-4, "Do not let your beauty be that outward adorning of arranging the hair, of wearing gold, or of putting on fine apparel; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

The Bible teaches women to show moderation and not to be extravagant in their appearance, whether in their hair or clothing. In this world, we are surrounded by the lies "shouting" out to us that we must conform to the "perfect" standard of outward beauty. This outward beauty comes by way of the right hair product, diet, clothing style, cosmetics, and expensive jewelry. A great deal of time and money can be spent on maintaining this ideal, but, you see, it is all temporary. It does not last, and as the flower that fades in the winter, so does this kind of beauty.

What is this inward beauty that we have read about? It comes from an inward strength of character that we have already defined as meekness. The beautiful glow of a countenance comes from the transformation and the renewing of the mind. When we know our identity in Christ, we are secure and have nothing to fear, and it shows in the very expression on our face.

As women who want to learn more about the Truth of God's Word, we must reject the extremes of the world around us. Satan hates our bodies because they are created in the image of God. Our enemy wants to destroy us, and he always lies to us first and tries to deceive us into believing that we are ugly, or that we do not fit in because of our outward appearance. He convinces us that we must correct the way we look, and as we know, some have taken that to extremes.

One Truth that we must face is that our bodies are dying. These "tents" of ours are temporary and are not eternal. However, our spirits and the Word of God will last forever. As we feed our spirits with the Word, God will adorn us with incorruptible character that is precious to Him. And if we know we are beautiful to the Lord, we are at peace within. Just like Moses, others can tell when we have been with the Lord, and it is a beautiful sight.

May we spend our time with the One Who loves us.

Love, Karen