Where is the best place for us ladies to go and get advice on being a woman?
The Popular Choice
I can tell you what I see flying off the shelves at local grocery stores in my small town and being read under the dryers in our salon. Unfortunately, it isn’t the Word of God. Can you imagine if the Bible was in magazine form at the registers of every store in town? Even better, what if there were sixty-six different magazines, one for each book of the Bible?
Okay, that’s not very practical, but it would be nice to read about Ruth on the cover every now and then, or maybe about Abraham and Sarah instead of the Kardashians. I just know every time I am in a line at Wal-Mart, Target, or Food Lion, someone in front of me picks up and flips through the pages of mindless information. Heck, I am one of those people that just has to pick up a House Beautiful or Southern Living. If it’s a week I happen to be watching my waist line, I will even quickly thumb through a healthy living magazine and ponder the “what ifs.”
Empty Promises of Beauty
What’s so disturbing to me is all the magazines that promise beauty and happiness if only you buy this or have this guy, look like this — or for heaven’s sake — love yourself more. Now that is something most of us don’t need…we love ourselves plenty. As a matter of fact, we are consumed with ourselves.
If we keep reading the material available at the checkout line instead of the Bible that sits in most homes with dust on it, we will stay self-absorbed and empty. It is the living, transforming Word of God that contains all there is to know about ourselves and how to live a beautiful life full of purpose.
A Sure Promise of Beauty
Proverbs 31:30 states that charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting. Not many magazines would fly off the shelves with that heading. We are consumed with being more beautiful and more charming — not less. By taking a closer look at the verses that surround this statement, women should become more interested in what the Bible has to say.
- She is worth more than rubies (Proverbs 31:11).
- She is clothed with strength and dignity (Proverbs 31:25).
- Her children arise and call her blessed (Proverbs 31:28).
Wow!!! This woman must be something. But, she is not a movie star, a princess, or reality star. She is, however, a woman who fears the Lord. She is the daughter of the King of Kings. This woman lives her life to bring glory to her Father.
Put Down the “Fluff”
Would you like to be called blessed? To be considered more valuable than rubies? What do you say we all lay down the fluffy magazines and pick up the Bible, dust it off and see what happens? Ask the Lord to speak to you as you read. Confess you have sought after the world’s way to be beautiful.
The popular culture says it’s all about you, but Scripture tells us it’s all about bringing glory to God. What if we went from trying to be beautiful, to being beautiful in His sight?
I hate to admit this, but I have found ten-year-old magazines that I have saved because of an article I thought I would use, a look I wanted for my living room, a new hairstyle, or a picture of an outfit I thought was perfect for me, only to pull them out years later and think they are hideous! Our world view is fickle, styles changing with the wind. What is in today is out tomorrow. This is not so with the Word of God, it never changes.
The Un-changing Word of God
The grass withers, the flowers fades, but the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).
The world tries to say that the Bible is old-fashioned and not applicable for us today. Have you ever wondered when your beauty fades what will be left?
Seeing Beauty Differently
I have been fortunate enough to have a large span of years between my friends. I have some that are in their early 20’s and many that are in their 70’s and early 80’s. This has given me a wonderful opportunity to see beauty differently.
One of the most beautiful women I have ever met is in her 70’s. I didn’t know her in her younger years. I am sure she was a pretty young woman, but in her 70’s she is radiant! She is full of joy and laughter. Her life hasn’t been perfect, she is wrinkled (mostly from laugh lines) and a little overweight, maybe from all the wonderful meals she has prepared for her family over the years.
She shares the love of Christ everywhere she goes and is always ready to give an answer for her hope (1 Peter 3:15). She is a woman who fears the Lord (Proverbs 31:30). I have learned so much from her (Titus 2:3-5).
This kind of beauty won’t be celebrated in Vogue or Cosmopolitan, but it is appreciated by those who are blessed to know her and will be remembered long after she has gone to be with her heavenly father. I desire this kind of beauty!
What about you? Will your beauty fade?
I promise it will if it is only skin-deep.
