It is not a fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from within you - the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit that will never be destroyed and is very precious to God.
1 Peter 3:3-4
The women of ancient Rome were much like many women today. They worked hard to be beautiful. Elaborate hairstyles made up of tiny knots plaited with gold and jewels and then piled high on the head were all the rage. One drawback was that fashionable Roman women feared going to sleep lest they muss their hairdos. But those women wholeheartedly believed that their passion for fashion was worth the extra effort, because beauty was what was going to keep their husbands faithful, satisfied with them alone.
Fashion trends today tend toward plastic surgery, excessive dieting, and a closet full of haute couture. Women's (and even men's) motivations haven't changed much in two thousand years. People strive to look beautiful so that others will perceive them as valuable and desirable. The apostle Peter directed his readers to refocus from external beauty to internal beauty. From what fades to what is eternal. From what please men to what pleases God.
True lasting beauty is found in a heart that rests secure in God's love. That gentle and quiet spirit doesn't need to strive for attention. It is adorned with spiritual instead of physical riches. Authentic inner beauty, and not artificial glamour, attracts other to what is truly valuable - the unique person whom God holds precious in his sight.
Peter's words are not a call to dowdiness. They are merely a reminder to keep your priorities straight when it comes to becoming a beautiful person. Concentrate on what matters most - the inside, not the outside.
Pray with a heart of gratitude and give thanks to God for the everlasting beauty he provides us in our daily lives. A beauty that is eternal and shining with the light of the truth. ~ MME Team
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