True Beauty

Beauty. 

What a loaded word.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines beauty as: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit. 

This morning I was getting ready for church and I accidentally knocked over my makeup bag. As I tried to shove all of my stuff back into the little bag I was amazed at the number of make-up/beauty products I owned. A lot of the products I don't even use. I bought some of them in a moment of weakness, when I wan't feeling beautiful. Go into your bathroom or your purse, get out your make-up bag, and open it up. What do you see? In dumping out mine I found: powder, chap-stick, brown eye shadow,  brown eyeliner, brown mascara. All of these things are made to "enhance our natural beauty". 

Our world is filled with images of "beauty". We have billboards, magazines, and movies that all depict perfect women, in perfect clothes, living perfect lives. Not only are these "perfect women" visible outside the home, but with the invention of the internet these women permeate our lives. I know a lot of women who feel incredibly inferior because they don't think they can measure up to the perfect women that their husbands see every single day in the media. 

What is it that makes these women so much more attractive than the rest of us?Genetics?  Make-up? Photoshop? Maybe a combination of all of these things. The picture on the right is of some of the most famous Victoria Secret Models both with and without make-up.

Take a look at this video and see what make-up and photoshop can do:

So what does this have to do with feminism or Biblical womanhood? The Bible defines beauty very differently from the world's view. 1 Peter 3: 3-4 says, "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." A lot of people ask if this means that we shouldn't be concerned at all with our outward appearance. I don't believe this to be the case. I think that the Bible is saying that we should not be devoting all of our time, resources, and energy to the pursuit of physical beauty. These things fade away, but the work that you do for the kingdom of Christ is eternal, that is true beauty that never fades away.

I am guilty of forgetting this. I have to admit there are days when I look in the mirror and wonder why I don't look more like (insert celebrity name here). I am working on growing in my biblical femininity. I know that all the make-up in the world won't cover up an ugly inside. I am trying to develop a gentle and quiet spirit, that will make me truly beautiful.

So let me close by saying that I hope you are filled with the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. I hope you feel beautiful today knowing that you were hand crafted by God, to show His glory to the world.