An Enduring Beauty

Scripture:  “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”  1 Peter 3:3, 4  (NKJV)

I read somewhere that American women, on average, spend about $3,756 a year  on beauty products! Talk about the high premium placed on physical appearance!  Although many of us—men and women-- place an inordinate amount of attention on external appearances,  God the Creator of all genuine beauty, does not ignore its importance to us.  He mentions the physical beauty of many individuals in His word:  He tells us that King David “..was ruddy with bright eyes, and good-looking.” (1 Sam. 16:12); Sarah’s beauty prompted Abraham to lie on two occasions in order to spare his own life!  (Gen. 20:2)  At the age of 65, his wife Sarah was described as “a woman of beautiful countenance.  (Gen. 12:11, 13, 14)  Abigail, David’s wife, was described as being “an intelligent and beautiful woman…” (1 Sam. 25:3)

Joseph, who displayed great endurance and faithfulness toward God throughout his fiery trials at the hands of his envious brothers and other wicked folks, was said to be “handsome in form and appearance.” And who doesn’t remember Scripture’s most renowned beauty contest, involving Esther, chosen to become queen—a great woman of faith, whose courage and God-confidence saved her people from genocide at the hands of wicked Haman?  Space prevents me from saying too much about Scriptures’s other honorable mentions in the beauty category—people like Rachel, Rebekkah, Absalom, King Saul (1 Sam. 9:2), Bathsheba, and Daniel (Daniel 1:4).  

This is quite a panoply of  personalities—some honorable, and some rather ignoble; yet, we remember them more by their deeds, reflecting their character or lack thereof,  than by their physical attributes.  Even Lucifer, before his fall, described in Isaiah 14:12, was said to have been “the seal of perfection,... perfect in beauty.”  (Ezekiel 28:11-15).   That we oftentimes get it backwards when we idolize physical beauty is perhaps nowhere better seen than when we consider the Person of Christ.  Isaiah 53 says that “He has no form or comeliness, and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.”  Yet, Haggai 2:7 calls our LORD the “Desire of all nations.”  He’s the “altogether Lovely One,” says  Song of Songs 5:9-16.  It is profoundly true, like the classic song says, we should “build our hope on things eternal,” and strive for the best and truest beauty—that which endures and is most highly regarded by Him before whom we must all stand one day and give an account.  The beauty He bestows on yielded souls will never be diminished by “Father Time,” nor cause one to think more highly of oneself than they ought.  

Prayer:  Dear LORD, You are indeed the “Desire of the nations,” the altogether Lovely One to whose image we were saved to be conformed.  Forgive us, Abba, for sometimes removing our gaze from You and failing to love most that which You love, the inward quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, entirely submitted to Your Lordship, because that is reflective of an enduring beauty that is most attractive and points others to Your Son.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(by Sis. Denise Diggs)