Beautiful
"Behold, you are beautiful." — Song of Solomon 4:1, ESV
On Mother’s Day, I received a set of prayer cards as a gift from my dear sister. One of the cards had the verse above written on it. I was so grateful for those uplifting words and thanked God for placing me on someone else’s heart.
As I reflected on the words, “Behold, you are beautiful,” I found myself asking, “Lord, how am I to pray this?” God reminded me of a message I once heard: when He calls us beautiful, His focus isn't always on our outer appearance. He’s looking at our hearts.
We see this confirmed in Scripture:
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” — Proverbs 31:30, ESV
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being beautiful or taking care of your appearance. But what God values most is the posture of our hearts. He wants our focus to be on obedience to His Word and love for others—actions that reflect the kind of beauty that pleases Him.
Scripture says:
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.” — 1 Peter 3:3–4, ESV
I’m reminded of the woman of noble character in Scripture—her faithfulness to her husband, her family, and to God earned her praise at the city gates. When we look to the world for definitions of beauty, we can become distracted. We must remember that Satan is the ruler of this world, influencing its standards and values—including what it calls beautiful.
But the Lord said to Samuel:
“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7, ESV
We were created in the image of God, and our deepest desire should be to please Him. He teaches us that charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. The beauty God seeks in all His saints is the kind that flows from a heart that reverently fears Him and obeys His commands.
Key Takeaways
Outer beauty is wonderful to admire, but it adds nothing to a person’s character.
A person’s spirit will shine far beyond their physical appearance.
Redirect the time and energy spent on your outer appearance toward nurturing the condition of your soul.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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