Skin Deep Beauty

Proverbs 31:30 (NIV) – “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Although today’s scripture refers to the female gender the sentiment covers males as well.  When we see people who have beautiful exteriors but whose attitudes and behaviors are less than desirable, we often chant the mantra – “beauty is only skin deep, but ugly is to the bone".  And also there is the familiar jaunt that “God does not like ugly and he ain’t too keen on superficial pretty either.”  The sentiments expressed are simple… good looks, anatomic beauty, and physical attractiveness that harbor deceptive behaviors, fake attitudes and egotistical conducts are not pleasing to God.

It is God who designs us through the deposition of genetic material from our parents; but our bodies are merely earth-suits used to navigate through this physical world.  God looks not at the outer man but at the inner heart and spirit.  We all want to look good and be attractive.  We all have flaws that we wish to change; but if we spend all of our efforts and place more concern on the outer physical wrappings and allow our inner man to waste way or to become ‘ugly’, then we are truly doomed for destruction. 

Make up, beauty treatments, time at the gym, pumping iron,  jogging, manicures, pedicures, hair weaves, haircuts, hair dying, facial scrubs, eyebrow arching, hair waxing, yada, yada, yada… we must make sure we spend as much time fixing up our spirit as we do in ‘fixing up’ our appearance. Give more attention to bible study, meditation, prayer, praise, listening to sermons, reading historical teachings and Christian literature. A shiny apple with a rotten core ends up in the trash.

Every day is a good day; it is up to us to make it a GREAT day. Be blessed!, Dr. JoAnn