How do you define beauty? Do you look at what is on the outside of the person? Their body shape? size? hair color? skin color? what? What defines a beautiful person. Is your ideal beautiful person well put together in nice clothes, makeup and hair every single day?
Maybe that is part of beauty, but that kind of beauty is only in the eye of the beholder. Which means we all have a different perception of beauty. While I admit I do admire people who have great body conditioning, smooth skin, and a nice wardrobe. I don't always think they are beautiful because they may interact with people in a way that turns me away from their outward beauty.
Do you consider the beauty of a person's soul and heart? Do their actions or how they treat people help you determine someone's level of beauty? For me that is the biggest determining factor of a person's beauty. I have never tried to judge someone by their looks mainly because I never wanted to be judged that way. I can't say I have never judged someone that way because I probably have at one time or another.
Some of the prettiest people I've ever met are not pretty at all when you consider their attitudes. I've recently discovered that they aren't necessarily beautiful in God's eyes either. A beautiful person who is full of anger, unforgiveness, guilt, shame, depression as well as negative and hateful thoughts and actions is spiritually empty and unattractive to God. You can be the most beautiful person in the world but if you are just plain mean, uncaring, uncompassionate, or any other un- then you are probably pretty ugly. Can you change that part of you? Of course you can.
In 1 Peter 3:3-4 it says, "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."
I'm working on that inner beauty as much as I can. I think it's always been there but I want it to really shine because I want to be of great worth to God.
Lord thank you for your love please continue to show me the way to my inner self, to a gentle and quiet spirit so I can be beautiful to you and others. Help me be an example to my children and family so that they too can show the beauty that is within them. In your name I pray. Amen
