34 days…beauty is fleeting

Beauty is Fleeting 

(The older I get, and the older I look & feel, the more I realize that is sooooo true!  Wrinkles are appearing where once skin was smooth….arms that were once more fit and now slightly flabby….) 

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” 

I Samuel 16:7b says “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

In 1 Peter 3:3-6, we read “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. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” 

In 40 years, I have seen many beautiful women.  Women that seemed to have it all together.  Perfect skin.  Perfect figure.  Perfect teeth, hair, clothes…everything.  But they were horribly ugly on the inside.  They were mean, deceitful, liars, gossips, full of negativity, hate, greed….. 

And yet, the opposite can be true too.  You can meet the most loving, kind, compassionate, normal looking woman and she will truly be beautiful.  She simply ooozes beauty.  She is joyful.  She is merciful.  She possesses the fruits of the Spirit and God’s love shines through her.  Galatians 5:22&23  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” 

How much time do I spend a day getting ready?  Showering?  Doing my makeup & hair? 

How much time do I spend daily in God’s word? 

…something to think about…