God's Definition of Spiritual Beauty

When we think of beauty, we think of supermodels and movie stars. Their bodies have the perfect size and features. They exercise all the time to maintain their physique. They wear all kinds of makeup to keep up appearances. They use all kinds of beauty enhancers and implants, outlandish and sometimes immodest clothes. In the world of beauty, there are all kinds of polishing, painting, buffing, and all such things going on. The world has made this the standard of beauty. The world has set the bar very high, too high in my opinion. Most normal people can never attain the level of beauty the world flaunts. Some supermodels can't either, hence the implants, makeup, etc.

Proverbs 31:30 says, "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." This says that seeking worldly beauty is vain. We all know that just because a person is beautiful on the outside doesn't mean they are beautiful on the inside (Matthew 23:27 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness). Our goal should be to seek a beauty which does not fade, but only grows stronger. Our goal should be to seek spiritual beauty.

To begin with, we should fear the Lord (see Proverbs 31:30 again) because fearing the Lord causes us to praise and glorify Him (Psalm 22:23 - Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel). Fear of the Lord is also where we begin to attain true knowledge (Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction). Another one is Psalm 111:10 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. Fearing God also brings us blessings (Psalm 115:13 -  He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great). It gives us confidence (Proverbs 14:26-27 -  In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death). How do we show our fear of the Lord? Proverbs 8:13 says, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate." This theme continues throughout the Bible. Proverbs 22:4 says, "By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life."

God's description of beauty includes preaching the gospel. Romans 10:15 - "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Being obedient to God and serving Him is emphasized throughout the Bible. He makes us beautiful with salvation if we are meek (Psalm 149:4 - For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation).
Our holiness is beautiful to God (I Chronicles 16:29 - Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness). 2 Chronicles 20:21 says, "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 29:2 says it too, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Again in Psalm 96:9 - "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth."

The pattern is that our character defines us as beautiful or ugly. There are a few verses in 2 Peter 1:5-7 to help us refine our character as God sees fit. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." These are generally called the Christian graces. We can also focus on the fruit of the Spirit. Ephesians 5:9 says, "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth." They are listed out in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Philippians 4:8 gives us more to go on with, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

I hope you choose the right kind of makeover!

Bear With Me

One blessing Christians are given comes disguised. We are told to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.) and to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16 - Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.). Even though these two commands are separate, I think they go together to form a bigger blessing. Some may not see this as a blessing, but oh, it truly is!

Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." When we rejoice with those who rejoice, our spirits are lifted and encouraged. When we share our troubles with our brothers and sisters, we receive their help and emotional support. A joy shared is doubled and a sorrow shared is halved.

Confessing our sins to our Christian family works the same way. Other Christians know what we are struggling with and can pray for us, help us stop doing that sin, help us replace it with good, and sometimes just be there to listen with a loving heart. We are all one in Christ's body. We hurt when another of us hurts. We are happy when another of us is doing well.

The prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). Can you imagine the power of so many prayers for help or so many prayers of gratitude?  I think we underestimate and underutilize the power of prayer! God is bigger than any opponent we have in the world (1 John 4:4 - Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.). We access an army for the Lord when we share our burdens and sins with each other.

When someone confides in me with their problems, I realize sometimes my own don't seem so bad in comparison.  It doesn't matter what I'm going through - it could always be worse! When I confide in someone else, I have a huge sense of relief in my soul. I don't have to carry that burden alone! I have help from someone who loves me. Not only do they love me, they are going to encourage me to do right. We know that by doing right, we are cleansed (1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.).

God has planned all along to give us good things. His plan is always right, even if it isn't what man thinks we should do. I heard a quote once, and I think of it often. "Give God control of the day, or Satan will take it." -Charles Hodge

Counting Exercises

God has given us so many blessings! Sadly, we fail to recognize His abundant love for us because we trivialize these blessings. We don't consciously count our blessings anymore.

Have you ever sat and listened to the innocence of a child praying to God? They thank God for everything and everyone. By name. Multiple times. They bring Him everything that troubles their tender little heart.

Somewhere in life, we tend to lose that. We give a general thanks and then start in on our long list of all the many things we want Him to do for us or to give us. We lose sight of the fact that God made everything. Yet we are just giving Him a to-do list! We've lost our reverence and humility!

Try counting your blessings. Truly name them one by one. As we realize how long our list keeps growing, we can better put it into perspective. He made everything, yet He loves us enough to provide for us and give us so many things He didn't have to give.

Recognition of these abundant blessings should elicit a response from us. Certainly, we should be thankful, but it doesn't stop there. God has used others to bless you. Be a blessing to someone else. Pass it on! Don't be a miser with blessings! Allow God to work fully through you.

Somewhere along the way, you'll regain a sense of wonder reminiscent of the child you once were that you thought was gone forever. Your negative feelings toward life can be replaced by joy. This in itself is yet another blessing!

Happy counting!