Almost
every commercial on TV is centered on maintaining our youth, improving our
gusto, or getting ahead in this life. They offer us impossible results if we
will simply buy their product. Our emphasis and pursuits in life often mimic
these ideologies.
We
want what the world has to offer us, because we believe its lies about what is
most important for our life. We often purchase their products to give them a
try, and we spend thousands of dollars to achieve our carnal goals.
Yet,
God offers us incorruptible beauty (1 Peter 3:3-6). He points out that a better
goal for us is to speak wise words, and to allow kindness to be the rule for
everything we say (Proverbs 31:26).
He calls us to a life of holiness, not worldliness.
Louisa
May Alcott is one of my favorite authors. I love the “old world” charm of her
characters, as well as the Victorian styles and picturesque settings of her
stories. Her heroes are either heart-stopping cavaliers or stalwart gentry.
Generally,
both of these types of gentlemen are more attracted to the allurement of the
kind, generous and sweet spirit of her heroines than to the flashy women with
outer beauty. Many men appreciate this same quality in a woman.
God's
Word exhorts us not to be overly concerned about outward beauty. He counsels us
not to use exquisite jewelry, expensive clothes, or elaborate hair arrangements
to attract attention (1 Peter 3:3).
Instead,
He advised us to concentrate on exhibiting beautiful character in our hearts.
He recommends that lasting charm radiates more from a sweet character than from
a matching outfit, worldly success or precious gems.
Similar
to Louisa May Alcott’s characters, this deep inner beauty is also evident in
many of the saintly women of the Bible. They trusted God and fit in with their
husbands' plans, which is a foreign concept in today’s society (1 Peter 3:1).
However,
true fulfillment for a woman does not necessarily come from a successful
career, or from amassing worldly goods, or from traveling the earth, or even from
going to the moon in a spacecraft, but from fulfilling God’s destiny for our
life (Ephesians 2:20).
PRAYER
Father
God, help us to value Your divine character is us as more treasured than silver
and gold. Put a guard on our tongue so that we do not ever speak from
frustration or anger, but always with humility and kindness. Keep us ever
faithful to Your precepts and walking in Your eternal beauty.
Help
us to let go of our own agenda for our life and to find our fulfillment by
following Your Spirit moment by moment throughout the day. True joy comes from
serving You with all of our heart, mind, spirit and strength. We want to walk in Your ways and to fulfill Your destiny
for our life.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The
incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is very precious in the sight
of God; the key to contentment and accomplishment is to have a soul filled with
Godly character, and to follow His Spirit’s leading in our lives, so that we
fulfill His plans for us.
-
1 Peter 3:4; Ephesians 2:10
