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Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewellery 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. -1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)
It is no secret that the fashion and cosmetics industry is worth billions of dollars. But not only is it lucrative, it permeates our lives. After all, it's what we wear! Whenever we turn on the television or walk down the street, we are bombarded by advertisements featuring young, attractive models subtly promising that we can look just like them if we buy the product they are marketing. We all want to look appealing. When people compliment us on our appearance or attire, we feel accepted and loved. However, such affection will not last long if it is based on outward impressions. We could be impeccably dressed and spruce ourselves to look like models. But if the condition of our hearts remains depraved, the physical fa'§ade of beauty that we have built up for all to see will melt like wax before fire.
Proverbs 11:22 says, Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. Scripture is clear that the maintenance of our hearts is far more important than safeguarding our physical beauty. It is out of our hearts that we speak and act. Even if we try to conceal our sins from others, we are not fooling God. He sees everything done in secret and in the deep recesses of our hearts. Thankfully He is not here to condemn us, but to save us through His redemptive sacrifice on the cross. When we allow Him to convict us of the wrong attitudes and desires that we harbour and acknowledge His power over sin, He will restore and cleanse us of all our wickedness. We will understand that we are beautiful in the eyes of God because we were wonderfully created by Him in His image. Through the indwelling of His Spirit in our lives, we will be given an irresistible beauty that will shine forth from within; enhancing the natural beauty He has bestowed upon us in ways which the products of the world will never be able to accomplish.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
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