What Makes You Beautiful?

"By focusing our heart's desire on Christ and letting the Holy Spirit transform us from the inside out, we are indeed becoming beautiful where it really counts."

-Debra Evans

My mom tells me I’m beautiful all the time… in fact, she used to tell me that I look like Jennifer Lopez. Just to clarify readers… I do not look anything like Jennifer Lopez. Obviously, there must be some “Mom Code” somewhere that says moms should tell their daughters they look beautiful and better than celebrities. Either way, no matter who tells me I’m beautiful, I don’t always feel that way (especially when my hair is a mess), and I assume that most of you ladies feel the same way.

Take a moment to think about what or who you think is beautiful.

Our culture, particularly all forms of media, tells us what is beautiful and how we can make ourselves beautiful with the right clothes, makeup and accessories.

But what does God consider beautiful?

³ Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

1 Peter 3:3,4

There is a type of incorruptible beauty in a woman who has a gentle and quiet spirit. I am not talking about a woman who is passive. I am talking about a strong woman whose confidence is not in her physical beauty but her confidence is in the LORD. The LORD also says to Samuel, “For the LORD does not see as man sees;for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Clearly, what God considers beautiful is not limited to the external features.
The one thing God sees that we can hide from others is our heart. No matter how we portray ourselves to one another, He sees our innermost thoughts and feelings.
Yikes!! For someone like me who is guarded and puts up emotional walls, this is intimidating. I always saw myself as the girl with the tear-streaked, dirt-stained dress (representing my sins and shame). Instead, the LORD has shown me that I am not that girl… in fact, I’m wearing pure white satin and I’m spinning around with joy. That image makes me smile because it represents purity, love, joy and freedom -- all in Jesus Christ.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,

My soul shall be joyful in my God;

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 61:10

I have never met an ugly bride, and I don’t think I ever will. She may be wearing pure white satin and diamonds, but it is the love and joy shining on her face that makes her especially beautiful. I also love how garments of salvation and robe of righteousness is compared to a bride dressing herself up in jewels.

Take-away lesson from this passage? Rock the righteousness of Jesus Christ like it’s bling!!!
My God has given me the garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness. It is the JOY coming from the knowledge of my salvation through Jesus Christ that makes me beautiful. The righteousness of Jesus Christ becomes MY righteousness. I am made perfect in front of God because of what Jesus Christ did on the Cross. What amazing love! No matter how I view(ed) myself, beautiful, ugly or damaged, the TRUTH is that because I am saved by grace, I can wear the garment of salvation and robe of righteousness in the FULLNESS OF JOY. Therefore, my beauty and confidence is in God. Let it be yours too.

-Mabel

Here is Our Challenge to You-

God has created us to be more then faces, bodies, and figures. When He created us, he searched much deeper within. Who we are, through and through, is supposed to be a reflection of The One who made us. We would like to challenge you to look deeper within, to see what God wants you to work on. Your image, is a reflection of God. Chances are, if you are not happy with the way you look or the way your body looks, there is something much deeper that is being held on to. Take a step forward and do the hard work. Look deeper within and see where God wants to transform you, so that the way you are inside and out is a reflection of none other but Him.

"You look much deeper within, through the way things appear, Your looking into my heart."

-Betsy