August 8: The Beauty That Never Fades

-

Her Strength and Grace – The Beauty That Never Fades

1 Peter 3:4 – “Rather, 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”.

Sharon Campbell Danvers,
Shepherdess, CIC 

We are living in an age where women are more conscious than ever of how they look. Much time is spent before the mirror ensuring that everything is just right. Care is taken in choosing and blending the right colours. Married women are often keen to ensure that their attire complements that of their spouse. Families going out together will make sure they are well-matched, presenting an image that draws attention. Compliments are received, and there is a sense of satisfaction that we have got it right.

But have we really got it right? Christ wants us to look and also feel well but our priorities must never be twisted. Are we spending more time on self than with the Savior? Are we giving self quality and quantity but giving Jesus only what is left? Always rushing with Jesus but patiently fixing our appearance. 

There are persons who might be spending hours getting ready for church every week, often arriving late. Yet the same individuals are early for work every day without fail. Sometimes my husband would remind us that we need to show the same urgency to leave out early like we do for work or other appoints. In my mind,  I am thinking that God understands! It seems we have allowed our priorities to shift in the wrong direction.

The verse for today reminds us that true beauty is not about the outward adornment, but about the hidden person of the heart. Outer beauty is temporal and will fade. The effects of bleaching creams will fade. Age will change our features. Fashion will always move on. But when our focus is on Christ, we age gracefully, clothed in His righteousness, radiating the beauty of His character. It is not about the lipsticks or the makeup. It is more about who made us and Christ should be reflected in our appearance. 

Proverbs 31:30 tells us, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” The fear of the Lord is the true foundation of a woman’s beauty, for it springs from a life surrendered to Him.

Similarly, 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” The heart that is filled with Christ’s love, peace, and humility will always shine brighter than any outward decoration.

Outer appearance has its place, but it must never take precedence over our inner adornment in Christ. Let us spend as much time—if not more—before the mirror of God’s Word, allowing His Spirit to shape us into women whose strength and grace reflect the beauty that never fades.

Reflection Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me that my worth and beauty are found in You, not in outward appearance. Help me to clothe myself with a gentle and quiet spirit that reflects Your love and peace. Teach me to value the inner beauty that pleases You above all else. May my life radiate Christ, so that when others see me, they see Your light shining through. In Jesus’ name, Amen.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 11: Help! I Am A Worrier.

-
Image
Help! I Am A Worrier. Author : Sharon Campbell-Danvers, Shepherdess, Educator Theme : Contentment in Christ. Finding peace and joy in God regardless of circumstances Peace of mind is a valuable commodity that cannot have a price tag placed on it. If worrying was a product, I would be rich.  Peace of mind is precious and closely aligned with our mental health and well-being. Truth be told, so many things seek to distract us from what is truly important and what gives us true peace. This is a struggle for me. I need a piece of peace! A big slice. Whopper version, supersized. Women are confronted with many issues that impact their peace of mind. The woman with the issue of blood was in a deep place for twelve years (Mark 5:25-34). Mary and Martha watched their brother die and wept (John 11:1-44). The woman at the well was searching for deeper meaning in her life without even knowing it until she came in contact with Jesus (John 4:1-26). Hannah was troubled at home and could find no ...
Read more

January 3: Trust the Plan

-
Image
Trust the Plan Theme : Trusting God's timing and purpose in your life. Author : Dr. Terry-Ann Robinson, Kings Seventh-day Adventist Church   For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11   I must admit I don't like waiting or uncertainty. I am one of those people who make a list for everything, and then I have a list to keep track of my list. I work very strictly with time, and I mentally take quite a few "chill pills" to control my emotions when things don't go according to plan. I have gotten better over the years, but my "chill pills" are still needed. For some time now, I have been asking God to show me His plan for my life. I want a glimpse of the plan. Instead of showing me the details of His plan, God responds with Jeremiah 29:11, saying He knows the plan.   But Lord, I want to know the plan too.   Why can't you just tell me the ...
Read more

March 16 Anxious but Anchored

-
Image
Carol Nyack Shepherdess Cayman Islands Conference of SDA Theme: Trusting God when anxiety creeps in . It was a cool February evening, and I was reaching the end of my rope in more ways than one. I was partially laid up with a broken ankle, having just shattered my beautiful flowerpot. At the same time, vacuuming, and then, minutes later, discovered that my unlocked car had been ransacked during the night. I glanced at my husband resting on the sofa. He remained unbothered by my recounting of events. I then contacted our older son. While on the phone, my husband calmly said, "Ask him to come take me to the hospital." There was no complaint of pain, no urgency in his voice—just a quiet request. At this point, I knew prayer was more important than questioning.  Our son arrived, and just as my husband turned to kiss me and leave, I grabbed him to pray. On the way to the hospital, things took a drastic do...
Read more