Just an outward show?

Charm and grace are deceptive, and superficial beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord reverently worshiping, obeying, serving, and trusting Him with awe-filled respect, she shall be praised. (Proverbs 31:30 Amplified Bible)

I know so much emphasis is placed on physical beauty these days. There are all kinds of ways to be 'fit' and 'trim'. The media hypes it. The billboards put it out there in larger-than-life fashion. The fitness studios promote it. All that is 'beautiful' is not outward - true beauty begins in the heart. A heart desperately in love with Jesus, devoted to serving him, is truthfully the most beautiful thing I have ever observed.

Superficial beauty is one thing - inward beauty is quite differently displayed. How many hours a day does it take to 'put on your face' for the world to see? The only 'face' that really matters is the one that reflects the heart! That heart 'reverently worships' her Lord and Savior. There is a love that goes deeper than any eye can see. A 'reverent' person says a loud 'no' to sin and compromise, and a loud 'yes' to the things that bring honor and praise to the Lord.

Self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this day and age might just catch the eye, don't you think? The pursuit of worldly passions of all sorts seems to be the norm. When someone who has said 'yes' to Jesus chooses to live with a bit more self-controlled, they aren't really exercising mere willpower. It is kind of a misnomer to call them 'self-controlled', for the 'control' is really that of the Spirit of God living inside.

Obedience doesn't come naturally to us - in fact, every ounce of our being desires its own way from time to time, if not more frequently than we'd like to admit. The one who leans into Jesus' love and desires nothing more than to please him will notice a shift in their way of thinking. That very 'shift' in thinking begins the journey of a lifetime - one of service, honor, reverence, and intense trust. Perhaps this world needs more 'inner beauty' and a little less 'outward show'. Just sayin!