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~Skin Deep Beauty~
by Jannette Fuller The world is filled with beauty, and what is beautiful to one person, may not be to another. If we were all the same, and liked the same things, then the world would be bland and uninteresting. As the saying goes: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. God created beauty because it is good. Just look around at all the animals, flowers, trees, landscapes, bodies of water, the sky, and most importantly--you and everyone else. Genesis 1:27 "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Psalm 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." There are more Scriptures pertaining to beauty, and how it is a gift, but without harming oneself or others. The book of Esther is a great example of this. Hadassah--Queen Esther--loved God and her people very much and did what she had to in order to protect them, which included a year of beauty treatments. She had much inner beauty, but much outer beauty as well. One year of beauty treatments: Esther 2:12 "Before a young woman's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics." However, beauty can have an ugly side to it. And it has nothing to do with one's outward/physical appearance. In a spiritual sense, when beauty is lavishly applied, like makeup, it can seep its way deep beneath the skin, reaching the soul, concealing one's morals, values, and hindering their love for the Lord and others. And when this happens, it can make the most beautiful woman, or good-looking man, appear unattractive--inside and out. Why? Because now the only thing that people are able to see, is the aftermath of someone who has misused their good looks, making others cringe as if looking at something unsightly. This is the result of when beauty turns into vanity. Scriptures concerning deceptive beauty (Warnings against Adultery) Proverbs 6:24-26 "24 To keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. 25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let her capture you with her eyelids. 26 For on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread, and an adulteress hunts for the precious life." Scriptures concerning true beauty (The Virtues of a Noble Woman) Proverbs 31:29-31 29 "Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all. 30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates." So now that we have examined the pros and cons of beauty, we need to try our best and handle this gift with balance--just like everything else. But remember, true and lasting beauty comes from within, making one's outward appearance even more appealing. Listen up ladies, since most of us love accessories, I know of a few that surpasses shoes, purses, and jewelry: self-acceptance, self-love, self-respect and self-confidence. Directions: Use everyday in a godly and balanced way. May your beauty always shine from the inside out. ~Jannette Fuller~ Note: If you enjoy watching movies, then I suggest watching the movie One Night with the King. It's a wonderful portrayal of a woman who is beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside. Jannette is the author of the Ambrosial Acres Series--a YA mystery with a touch of the supernatural. She also enjoys writing articles on various topics, supporting fellow authors, and reading, of course. You can find Jannette@ http://www.jannettefuller.com/ Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |