When I was a little girl, my grandmother often said, “Pretty is as pretty does.” I must admit, growing up through the sort of chubby, awkward stages of junior high, this saying did little to comfort me. It seemed like outward beauty was much more desirable because it was, well, outward! People could look at you and know right away that you were beautiful!
Having long since aged out of my teen years, I have learned over time that many women do not see their own beauty, even those the rest of us would say are simply gorgeous. In our society, women are tempted to compare themselves to every other woman who ever lived. If you were to interview every woman you know, or any woman on the street, and you were to ask them to tell you one area where they are lacking in physical beauty, most of them would easily answer. For example, my nose is too wide, my hair is too curly (or too straight), and my skin is not perfect.
People can find the right make-up or even have plastic surgery to create just the look they desire. One woman I heard of had multiple procedures to try to look just like Barbie! The thing about all things outward, though, is that beauty fades. The writer of Proverbs 31 says this: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30 NASB) No matter what I do today to become outwardly beautiful, in a few years’ time, I will have to repeat it, or it will fade away.
However, that inner beauty – here’s how Google defines it: “Inner beauty refers to a person’s positive character traits, personality, and qualities that radiate from within, such as kindness, compassion, empathy, and integrity, rather than physical appearance. It encompasses a beautiful heart and soul, reflecting a genuine and lasting essence that goes beyond superficial qualities like physical features and is experienced through a person’s actions, character, and how they treat others.”
Where outer beauty fades over time, inner beauty deepens. 2 Corinthians says, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Outer beauty has little to no effect on the people around it, but inner beauty ministers to the spirits of the people around it, by releasing the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. This is why Peter tells women: “Your adornment must not be merely external – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” (1 Peter 3:3-4). Notice there is nothing wrong with looking nice on the outside, but the inner self is at least as important to work on, and it will become more beautiful over time.
People were attracted to Jesus, not because of His outward appearance, but because of His heart. “He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.” (Isaiah 53:2) Our inner man (or inner woman) is being made to look like the inner man of Jesus! Paul says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) Oh, to reflect His beautiful heart! My grandmother was right!
We want to thank Sheri Warren for sharing this post.
Women's Ministry 