True Beauty - What does God say?

Psalm 29:2
"Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."

In today's society, beauty and worth are often defined by external appearances, an engaging personality, and material wealth. The multimedia world spends millions advertising this beauty product, that miracle cure, this pill to make you skinnier, that new exercise bike to get you toned. But in the pursuit of beauty and acceptance, the internal spirit is often forgotten and becomes corrupt and loathsome before God. Character and attitude become shallow. Personal worth is measured by being noticed and praised... But God did not create us for this shallow purpose, nor does He see us in such a demeaning way. To truly understand eternal beauty, we must search the scriptures for God's definition of worth and value.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7b

"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." 1 Peter 3:3-4

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:3

God sees us as His final masterpiece! Each person on earth from every corner of the world is uniquely created, shaped, and formed by the work of His hands. Every person is beautifully and creatively designed by God's desire and is equally loved and cherished by Him. But yet He does not look to the outward appearance of a man to find worth, instead He searches the inner thoughts of the heart. He examines the character of a man and seeks out the unfading beauty of a pure and gentle spirit. He cherishes those who worship and tremble before His awesome power. This is true beauty in the eyes of God - that His people would seek to glorify His name in every aspect of their lives while continuing to grow more Christ-like in holiness, purity, and obedience to God. 

Outward beauty is daily fading and will one day be a distant memory, but the beauty of a spirit that is rooted in Christ and mature in the Word of God shall endure forever. So perhaps instead of spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror each morning, we should instead be examining our hearts from the reflection of the Scriptures.