Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 1 Peter 3:4
….the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. Net Bible
But let it (adorning) be the hidden man (woman) of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. King James 2000
My peaceful heart has also been a broken one. There were days I wouldn’t have considered going to the mailbox without makeup. That was wrong, I would even laugh it off, saying I didn’t want to frighten anyone away. How innocent these remarks appear to be. But I was hurting my heart. I was too self conscious, weight conscious and practically unconscious of what I was actually reading in the Bible.
Why didn’t I see what He saw? That I was made in His image, a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, His masterpiece. Once, I told someone if I was beautiful, it was because He let me be, I must have been listening to His still, small, voice that day, for it is so easy to fall into the trap of trying to be what the world wants to see instead of what God does.
I didn’t have to look perfect all the time, God was looking at me the way He made me, anyway. I’ve worn makeup since I was seventeen, and there’s nothing wrong with that or getting a haircut or adorning yourself. I like pretty clothes, jeans, sweaters and boots. I like dresses, too. But wearing long sleeves and braids and no makeup will not make you holy. Only Jesus does that.
God wants us to look good, be modest and represent Him. He does not want us to be worldly or have false humility. And He’s seen us all, with our bad hair days, even if we feel fat and frazzled. He’s looking at our hearts. And my peaceful one in Him, was losing a battle with a false mindset, but it was not lost. He’s seen how we look in the morning, with no makeup, and even without our fig leaves. He’s counted our head hair, gray or colored. He looks at the inside, the spirit, the heart. He knows our thoughts, are we focused on appearances or Him? Or something else entirely, He is jealous of us in a good way.
Too often women are focused on our looks, concerned about what others think. If you are anything like me, you probably dressed up to go to the grocery store, were paranoid about eating a doughnut in front of someone or getting seconds at the all you can eat place, when you were hungry and other people, much slimmer, were getting thirds and fourths at the dessert bars. I have actually seen people get plates of desserts, when there were little bowls sitting there. And I was feeling guilty, when I should have let Him open my peaceful heart, and not let it weigh so heavily on the outward when He saw the love, He placed there.
Our focus should always be on Him. I can post now in my pajamas, and my lipstick is gone, this late at night. When before, it would have annoyed me. Like cleaning your house from top to bottom before the maid ( if you could have one, comes ). Jesus is a great fishermen, He caught us. Ugh! He’ll clean us! I hope we’re wearing perfume, His fragrance.
He’s not looking at pearls, but the pearls of great price He purchased with His life. He’s not looking at designer jeans, but the genes, He designed in His image. He doesn’t care if you are super model or can run a marathon, only that He’s your role model and you let Him walk beside you. You really don’t have to run, but rest, He’s fighting for you. He loves you. He adores you. You are unique and one of a kind. There’s only one you. And that’s what great about Jesus, He can love each of us like we were the only person on earth.
Make no mistake, He’s not against makeup or jewelry. Never stop trying to look or be your best. Diet and exercise won’t do it, self help books won’t. Jesus will do it, if you stand down, take step back and let Him reveal His beauty in you. There are many beautiful women and handsome men that if you really knew them, aren’t so nice. God’s love and beauty comes from within, He delivered Joseph and made him handsome. He promises to renew our youth. We are priceless to Him with a gentle, peaceful, heart and spirit.
Instead of that, it should be a new nature within–the imperishable ornament of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which is indeed precious in the sight of God. Weymouth
It’s a load off my mind and heart, to know I have a Lord who loves me the way I am, because He sees His finished work. I’m the Daughter of a King, a Jesus girl. He’s polishing a diamond in the rough. I can put my make up on at moment’s notice. But now, He’s first in the morning. My heart isn’t always breaking when I compare myself to others, if someone asks when you’re getting married or why you haven’t published that novel. If people who are healthy are complaining about their weight, when they don’t have any to lose. He loves me, He thinks I’m beautiful, and because He made me like Him, he thinks I’m perfect. And you know what? I know He is. Rebecca Jones/pixabay, crop and filter.
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