Recognizing True Beauty
Recognizing True Beauty is a short article by Jon Powell. Jon contrasts worldly beauty with godly beauty and offers some practical application for both men and women. The entire article can be found in the “BT Exclusives” section of biblicalthought.com in PDF. Here’s a taste of Jon’s article.
First, true beauty emanates from the inside. Just as large internal flaws devalue a large gemstone, so is a woman who weighs in with great personal charms, strength of motivation or physical beauty, yet lacks critical internal substance. In 1 Peter 3:3-4 we are directed toward the inward attributes of a woman.
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” [NASB]
A godly woman’s beauty begins on the inside, radiating outwards creating true beauty. While physical beauty is never condemned in the Bible, it is made very clear that it is temporary and of lesser importance in defining a woman’s value. The value of a woman in the world, as we know, is based on what appears outside, rarely correlating to what is on the inside. Rather, the inside of many ungodly women is a bossy, brash & profane persona that is the opposite of the gentle & quiet spirit of the Biblical woman.
9 Comments, Comment or Ping
Josh in AK
Brother, when I am reading this post about “True Beauty” I am thinking, “When did he meet my wife?”
Yes sir, God gave me the woman of virtue, beauty and purity, mother of my 8 chillins,(Hank you don’t stand a chance, I’m only 33) girl who I met when she was 13 and I was 15, and God kept us pure to the day we were married.
Hard working, home schooling mom that she is,
I can attest, a good wife is more valuable than all the world’s riches!
I listen to all the woes of different guys I know, divorced 1, 2 , 3 times, women this women that, ” you know what I mean?”
“No sir, I don’t, my wife is Faithful and I love her!”
I could write a whole article on her!
But you just did.
Thank you God for my girl!
Dec 1st, 2007
Josh in AK
I should add, excellent article Thomas!
Thank-you!
Dec 1st, 2007
Jon Powell
Josh–encouraging to hear about your excellent experience! Maybe you were young but it sounds like you had ‘trained eyes’.
Dec 3rd, 2007
Reformed Rose
Good stuff Jon. Your article was well written. May the Godly Women increase in this crooked and perverse Generation.
May we seek to Glorify God inwardly and the outward will follow. Praise be to GOD our Father.
Dec 3rd, 2007
Stacie
Praise God! That was so encouraging! Your post was a breath of fresh air as I am woman who reads the back of the butter every time I stand in line to avoid being sucked into the magazines!
I praise God that He has painted such a clear picture of what we should strive to be! It makes it so much easier and it gives me hope. May my life glorify Him as I “muddle through” this life as a young woman in California.
Additionally: I Exhort Women to unplug the television! It does nothing to help you towards being a Proverbs 31 Woman. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Do you get my point?
Dec 3rd, 2007
Josh in AK
It’s sad but the world has muddied the waters by making the Christian someone who
represses women.
Unfortuantly there are some “Christians” who have lived up to this myth by deluting the role of a Godly woman, and so we must proclaim the truth!
Our God in His own Word has raised the Godly woman up to a high place of honor!
Real Christian men honor and respect their mothers, sisters and wives.
Wake up world!
You are the one who has repressed women by making them an object, only looking for outward beauty, you are the one who has made it ok to kill a little woman in her mother’s womb, you are the one who congratulates being unfaithful to your wife, you are the one who breeds abuse of young girls and woman!
World, you are the one who cow-tows to Islamo-Fascist who murder woman in the name of Allah!
You can’t fool us world, we know the true value of a woman.
Dec 4th, 2007
Mario Herrera
Jon, I must boast in the Lord, that Scripture in 1 Peter 3:3-4: “1 Peter 3:3-4 “Your adornment must not be merely external– braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be (a)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” This Scripture defines the precious woman the Lord has given me for a wife. To Him alone be the glory!
Dec 6th, 2007
Mario Herrera
Love the story of Josh! 8 Chillins huh! Awesome! Still praying for my first! Jon the Lord used your article to stir up the guys to remember how precious our God given helpers are! We are praying for yours brother! “Memories of Macaroni Grill?”
Dec 6th, 2007
Jon Powell
I wrote this article in response to my pastor’s assignment to me, as I muddle/pray thru my singleness. I think that if the men of the reformation lead (including in recognizing true beauty) the virtuous women among us will naturally multiply. May God give us women after His own heart!
Dec 8th, 2007
Reply to “Recognizing True Beauty”