Tuesday, March 1, 2011

You Are Beautiful


“Do I look pretty?”

I smiled and looked down at little Chloe as she twirled around the room in her “pretty girl dress” all dolled up in ribbons, bows, and beaded necklaces with the most precious smile of delight on her face.

“Of course you do, Sweetie.”

Then I stopped and realized: This innocent question of but a two-year-old echoes the cries of every girl’s heart, young or old - “Am I beautiful?”

I believe this is an indwelling, God-given yearning for all women – to know and be told that they are beautiful. But society today has distorted the definition of beauty by focusing on features such as weight, style, hair color, skin tone, etc. leaving roughly 2% of women today describing themselves as beautiful.

But beauty is not simply a physical attribute. Nay, nay. It is a characteristic, a mindset, a heart. As Audrey Hepburn once said, “The true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.” Physical beauty diminishes with age. But inward beauty has the chance to develop as one gets older. It all has to do with one’s attitude and outlook on life. Taking joy simply in life itself and the simple things found in it can be one of the best cosmetics ever offered to a woman. In fact, Charles Dickens once state that “Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks.”

Striving to look physically attractive is by no means wrong, as long as it is not overemphasized. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment. 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.” Let not your quest be completely centered around finding physical beauty. For physical beauty only lasts so long. Continue pursuing a heart that is beautiful for God, living in the fear of Him and finding joy in the simple things in life that He has created just to make you smile. Then, you are truly beautiful.