Beauty in His Eyes

What is beauty? Is it the feeling I get in the mirror, and validation I get from what others think of me good or bad?

Beauty now has been re-defined to fit the world’s standard. It is the magazine cover of the perfect body; it is to achieve the impossible. It is nearly perfection. It is a leading falsehood that causes a lot of self loathing, comparison, and discontent.

Let me make this standard more personal. For the longest time I fell for that trap of un-realistic beauty, and it frustrated me and left me empty. I thought beauty was being the most beautiful girl in the room, and getting male attention etc. And this was an exhausting battle I could never win. It always seemed like someone was prettier than me. And so I surrendered.

Then I started paying attention to people. What made me attracted to them? What drew me to the people I loved and respected? What made them beautiful? People were most beautiful when they talked about something they loved with passion in their eyes. When they laughed and loved. There was something else that radiated past any physical beauty, and I envied it. And then I realized---it was Jesus seeping through their eyes, lips, and lives. It was then when I realized the essence of true beauty, it doesn’t start outward, but it begins inward. The people that are the most beautiful are the ones who radiate Christ and glow with a passion for him.

From then on I wanted to enhance my inner beauty. Of course I still take care of myself and like to look beautiful because I love dressing up and feeling pretty, but it is no longer a priority, and it is definitely not what reflects me. How do you do this though? Soak yourself in the scriptures. Spend time with the one who created beauty, the author of perfect beauty. Train yourself to let your affirmation come from Him. But first let's talk about the different kinds of beauty.

When I think of beauty, most often I think of the distinction between earthly beauty and righteous and pure beauty. I speak specifically of earthly beauty and Godly beauty, because the desires of one is wrong and the other is not. The desire to pursue God is good and righteous, a beautiful thing. The desire to pursue physical beauty for solely your happiness and affirmation is wrong. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be beautiful. I enjoy putting effort in the way I look, I'll admit it. But when it turns to envy and discontent that's when earthly beauty is disease. And that's where it hit home with me.

To be more explicit, earthly beauty was to me that magazine cover in the shopping line. That perfect photoshopped unrealistic body that I craved. And it was the false hope of happiness it guaranteed once I had it. It was never going to be good enough for me. No shade of lipstick made me feel as pomp and glam as I wanted. I just fell short--I wasn't Miranda Kerr and I sulked because of it. As shallow as it sounds--the world gave me this false sense of beauty. And I was un-happy. However, I am not trying to bash beauty such as makeup etc. I'm simply linking a discontentment to putting so much effort in it, and not enough on God. And I was truly unhappy in finding my worth in something other than Him.

Beauty is something sacred in the Bible, but not a means of fulfillment. It is a gift that God has given us, not an idol. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, Solomon recognized this. He acknowledges beauty and writes that, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." Also, in Song of Solomon, Solomon rejoices in his wife's beauty. (4:7) Outward beauty is a gift, but it should not validate us, there is much more. It should not be the main thing we aspire for because it will never make us happy.

Peter knew the value of internal beauty while also realizing the external. In Chapter 3 of 1 Peter he says, "Do not let your adorning be external, the braiding of hair and putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle an quiet spirit which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:3-4)

There is usually a misconception here that Peter is policing what women should or not do with their hair, but what he's really concerned with is their attitude. This is KEY. It is who we ARE as Christians that make us beautiful. The combination of faith, love, and righteousness in the Lord is what is beautiful. The outward adornment is of a lesser thing, and it can still be present, but true beauty should come from within.

So how do we do this? How do we find joy in our inner beauty, true Godly beauty? How do we stop comparing ourselves to the world? By spending time with God. Worshiping him. In simply doing the good works God has commanded of us. Because this is an opportunity for God to shine through you and use you. This is beautiful. We will not experience true joy until we have immersed our lives with His. And then you will find yourself less and less wanting surface things because you are so grounded and content in Christ, something so eternal. Of course it won't be perfect and you'll be tempted, but you have a perfect savior to turn to. But I promise you, start spending time in His word and you will come to realize this peace that surpasses all understanding that only he can give. In Philippians 4:7 Paul talks explicitly about this peace, only found when we rest assured in him.

And no good works are not what win us favor and salvation in God's eyes, we already have it. Ephesians 2:1-9 makes that very clear. Good works are simply out of thankfulness and love for a God so gracious. If we love God, we will obey his commandments. (John 14:15). And those things are lasting, because you can practice them your whole life and get so much contentment and joy out of knowing that you are serving your creator. And these acts of thanksgiving and humble service are what make the people of God something beautiful. To know we have a God who loves us so much we can't help but repay him.

At the core of our being is a longing for something more. We were made for Christ, to love and serve Him, and when we try to find affirmation in things apart from Him, we feel empty. But it is never to late to come to him. He wants all of you. (Jeremiah 33:3) The key to true beauty is realizing that Christ is a necessity. Let Him use you, radiate through you. And as soon as you have that realization, everything you do will be done for Him. And that? That is beautiful.