Beauty
Good Morning,
Of the daughters of Job, God said, “No women found so fair as the daughters of Job.” In Job 42:15, of Sara, Abraham said, “Thou art a fair woman to look upon,” and of Rebekah, “The damsel was very fair to look upon,” and of Vashti, “she was fair to look on.” Clearly, we can see that beauty stands out in the eyes of men and God. If you read your Bible, you will find that many times, God points out the beauty of a lady. When it comes down to making a statement on the value of that beauty, God is very clear.
Proverbs 31:30 “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
There is certainly nothing wrong with beauty or with a woman doing a few things to look better. Paul wrote that a woman’s hair is her “glory.” The issue that arises in our culture, and probably often in history, is the priority of beauty. How much time does the lady spend on beauty and how much time does she spend developing godliness in virtue?
Proverbs 31:30 “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
A woman that fears the Lord is a woman who is willing to fulfill all that God desires her to be. She will be a better mother, and she will be a better wife. In our culture, a woman’s beauty is a tool to get a job, to get fame, to get attention, and sadly, to get a man to be immorally involved with her.
I have no problem with a woman caring for her hair, her skin, her weight and her appearance in general. I think a lady that does not seek some care of outward attractiveness is more at risk than others. Young men are foolish enough to follow beauty first and virtue later. Married men are constantly bombarded with sensuous bodies. To come home to a lady who has no care about her body might perhaps put him in a position of more temptation. A little work on weight, hair, dress, and a smile does have value.
Sadly, many ladies have bought into this culture we have created: medical procedures to take some off or to add some, to rearrange general physical appearance, or to fix lips, nose, cheeks, and more. Some ladies will cover things up with massive amounts of make up, eyelashes, or a stream of other beauty tricks. Then, as ladies age, they begin cutting, trimming, and fixing, trying to keep a youthful look. Wrong priorities might be the big issue.
Here are just a few thoughts in regard to this issue:
1. Why are women on the earth? I would say ladies are on earth for the same reason men are, to glorify God. So to ignore Sunday school, church, Bible, and prayer will certainly cause a lady to fail at her most basic purpose.
2. What is the woman’s main work on earth? From Genesis, we see that God put the woman on the earth “for the man.” If this girl is beautiful and dressed great but nags her husband, fails at affection, and ignores the children and the home, I would say she’s failing at her main work.
3. Paul said to do what we do for the glory of God. I have noticed that the unusually attractive ladies are very focused on themselves. They seem to constantly be concerned about their hair, clothing, skin, eyes, and lips; it seems they are concerned very little about seeking God, glorifying God, and living for others. My observation is that unusual beauty goes with extreme self-centeredness. I am sure that a self-centered person is guaranteed to fail at their personal relationships with God, spouse, children, and the world around them.
I am not against beauty, whether natural or with the aid of a little outside help. I am against self-centeredness. I am against focusing on beauty over others. I am against someone thinking so much of themself that they forget to walk with God. I am against a lady thinking so much of her appearance that she cannot enjoy her husband, happy family, activities, and the service of God through a church. Keeping a balance is not easy in this culture.
Proverbs 31:30 “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Pastor