18.1.12

What is Beauty?

Most people would say "beauty is on the inside..." and "it's not always about how you look..."

I usually give the same answer. But the sad part is - sometimes I don't live like that. I find myself getting caught up in the latest trends, spending more time on my hair and face than I do planting my face in God's word. I worry that people will think I look scary or weird without a little make-up on my face...

So because I was clearly giving the Sunday School answers to that question - I asked myself again: based on how I was living, and what I saw around me, were these things really the criteria for true beauty?...

What is beauty??

Is it a woman who can leave the house with or without make up and still look nice?
Is it having beautifully soft skin?
Is it having a rockin' bod?
Is it being the most trendy?
Is it having the shiniest, smoothest hair?
Is it having the most stunning eyes?

My answer naturally was 'no' to all those questions but I still struggled with answering the question at hand. So today I woke up and decided to do a little personal study on what the Bible says beauty is.

Beauty is:

Knowing that I am fearfully + wonderfully made. 

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
{Psalm 139:14}

Taking care of my heart.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 
{1 Samuel 16:7}
Fearing the Lord.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 
{Proverbs 31:30}
Taking the emphasis off the outward appearance + pursuing inner beauty.

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 
{1 Peter 3:3-4}
Pursuing Godliness. 

for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 
{1 Timothy 4:8}


I never thought I would write a post about this because in my head I knew all the answers, but in my heart I believed something else. I had to get real with myself and check my heart because your heart really does determine what your response and actions will be.

Please don't misunderstand. Taking care of yourself is a good thing! Working out, taking care of your body, your hair etc are all good things but are those things consuming your mind? Are you incorrectly and sometimes unknowingly defining beauty in your head based solely on physical appearance?

I am first speaking to myself when I say this: Check your heart, stop loving yourself, and love Jesus. I want to be a woman defined by Christ. I DON'T want to live my life surviving and thriving off of the compliments I may receive from others.

I want my heart to reflect what I truly believe about beauty //

Jesus saw me in my ugliness (dead in my sin) + by His blood, His grace and His righteousness, He made me beautiful.

melody

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