Beauty Is .............

     As young girls, we often look at the women in our lives, mainly our moms to get our beauty barometer.  If these ladies have an obsession with what society says that we "ought" to look like, then we will often follow in their foot steps.  As young girls, we have found ourselves looking in mirrors while turning to the side and trying to figure out how we can make ourselves look skinny.  We pull on our hair to see how long it would be if it was naturally straight.  We look at the television commercials and convince ourselves that we will be more acceptable if we use the same beauty product that the model used that gave her that special glow and that smile that attracts anyone.  The unfortunate thing about this is the fact that this poison gets more intense as we become older.  More and more women are flocking to stores to empty the racks of high fashioned weave that does not even closely resemble their natural hair texture.  The cosmetic industry rakes in billions annually for the sake of helping us become more "beautiful".

    I wont even begin to say that I do not like to play in make-up or have worn weave before.  However, I am coming to a point where my definition of beauty comes from the biblical standard versus the worldly standard.  After all, it is God who made us and has given us a standard of how we should be.  Before we continue to stress ourselves about the latest and greatest in beauty trends, we need to look at the true priceless beauty that is described in his word:

-Proverbs 31:30: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be 
     praised.
   
      It is important to keep in mind that the fear of the Lord is important and precious to him.

-Peter 3:3-4: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and 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.

    Of course, this does not mean that you can not braid your hair or wear gold, but that what is more
     important to God is the inner beauty which is a gentle and quiet spirit.

- I Timothy 4:8: Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is more important, for it  
  promises a reward in this life and the next.

    Of course it is important to take care of the only physical temple that we are blessed with, but what
    is more important is the spiritual exercise.


    Although, we should take pride in keeping our temples fit and  God honoring, we need to remember that it is not the size of our bottoms or the length of our hair that makes us beautiful, but on those things that are important to the Lord.