Inner Beauty

 

For women, maintaining our appearance is very important. We’re constantly working to beautify ourselves and look our best. As a mother of four girls, I now truly understand my parents when they raised the three of us; raising girls can be high maintenance.  As our daughters grow, their needs also increase. Their skin is changing, so they’ve started needing a routine skincare regimen. They’re suddenly super conscious of their nails and nail beds.  And then there's the hair: "Mom, my ends are so bad!" they complain. Their wardrobes are a whole other challenge. Between grooming and beautifying, it’s a continuous effort to keep up with all their needs.

Beautiful hair, nails, and skin don’t happen overnight; they require dedication and consistent effort. I try to help them develop habits and routines that ensure the results they want. 

We do all this to perfect our outward appearance—to impress others with the part everyone sees. Yet 1 Peter 3 reminds us of something far more important: the beautifying of our inner self, what Peter calls the ‘hidden person of the heart’ (v. 4)—the part that God sees.

He writes, ‘Do not let your adornment be merely outward’ (vs. 3). The word ‘merely’ means only or just.  In other words, don't just focus on beautifying your outward appearance.  There is a hidden person in you, seen by God, that also requires just as much attention and care.  Peter adds that what makes the inner person of the heart beautiful is a gentle and quiet spirit, which is “very precious in the sight of God” (v. 4). It's the only part that can impress God.

A gentle and quiet spirit is one that is humble and genuinely trusts. It does not form overnight; it also requires dedication and consistent effort on our part.  But good spiritual habits and disciplines will ensure the results God desires to see in us.  

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”