A friend once told me that she was feeling exceptionally pretty one day, so she asked her daughter to take her picture. When she saw the picture she was disappointed because she didn’t see beauty, she saw a haggard woman.
When do you feel beautiful? I feel beautiful when I’m serving others or when I’m having a blast playing with my kids, or when I feel confident. But if I happen to pass by a mirror and see that my hair is disheveled or some other physical imperfection my confidence plummets. We buy into Satan’s lies when we allow our worth to be measured by mankind’s subjective idea of beauty. Physical beauty fades with years and can be taken away without a moments notice.
According to Webster beauty is: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit: loveliness. God’s Word describes beauty in Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."
I asked my eight-year-old daughter what beauty is and she immediately replied, “Me” as she danced around the room with great enthusiasm and a smile on her face. I then began to read what I wrote above to her and she stopped me and said, “Mama you are beautiful even if your hair is a mess. God thinks everyone is beautiful because He made them and He knows His creation is very good.” Oh to have the untarnished confidence of a happy, little girl.
Real beauty cannot fade and can never be taken away because it’s part of your character. When we are assured of God’s perfect love and know who we are in Christ we won’t fall for the devil’s deceit.
When I look at my friend mentioned in the first paragraph, regardless of what she is wearing or how her hair looks, I see beauty. I see beauty that radiates from deep within because of her love for Christ, her devotion to her husband and children and the friendship she freely gives to me.
God’s Word admonishes us: "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 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. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear." ~ 1 Peter 3:1-6
So go and shine for Jesus. Rest assured that you are beautiful because HE made you and loves you. In that confidence you can minister to others and share HIS love with a hurting world.
14 comments:
What does beautiful look like? ME!!!
LOVE IT!!!
Did you watch *Enchanted*? If so, do you remember when the evil queen's lackey asks the Prince, "Do you like yourself?"
The Prince replied, "What's not to like?"
What's not to like?
I am forgiven.
I have a purpose.
I have the call to contribute.
I make an impact.
When I fall, the Father forgives me and picks me up.
My Father sings over me.
My Groom is waiting for me with joyous anticipation.
What's not to like?
Sounds beautiful to me.
Your daughter's answer reminded me of the book Captivating. Beautiful. You've done something right for her to feel that way.
I am having surgery on Friday the 14... 3 days from now. not doing so hot.
I will be posting either tonight or tommorrow about it. thanks for asking and stoping in to say hi.
Great points, thanks for sharing.
This is a great post.
Robin, I am absolutely, incredibly impressed with your blog sites. I love the formatting and the various options you have for us to select...from music selections to ways we can help others. All of your blogs that I have read recently are so enjoyable, so easy to read, so deep in meaning, so well written.
I am curious as to who you are...you sound like such a gifted person, very educated, very content with life as it is. Surely you are published, or will be, for you put ideas into words and capture and present points excellently. I'm just glad I got introduced to your site through Indian Lake Papa, for your site has inspired me to work with blogging and understand it better. You represent Christ in every facet of your blogs. May you be richly blessed and eternally rewarded for giving of yourself as you do.
Hi friend - even though we have never met, to me you are a beautiful person. God's spirit provides the beauty that each of us needs.
Good stuff, really good stuff.
Hi Robin,
inter beauty is what I go by!
and I can tell that in you, and in Laura!
blessings
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your encouraging comment! Love your blog; this was a great post! :)
This is an awesome post, and I needed it today ! Thanks
This is a great post about beauty. This is an area I am passionate about helping women in. I tried forever to be beautiful and perfect on the outside, all the while I was dying on the inside. The inner beauty is satisfying because it's breathing in the Spirit of our Lord that lives in us.
Loved your daughter's comments. Glad you wrote them down.
Your eight year old grasps the concept of beauty even better than most of us adults! I am soooo loving your blog...just going down and reading the posts one by one. Good stuff here! I'm glad I stumbled upon it!
Jamie,
How did you find my blog? A good portion of the post in February were dedicated to a friend of mine's son who had brain surgery for a seizure disorder. He's still having seizures though after the surgery, so keep him in your prayers. They are going to look into more options for him.
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