True Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep

True Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep
John R. Petrilli


In the world of television each January signals a new slate of season premiers. January 2009 witnessed an interesting twist on the dating type programs with the introduction of “True Beauty”, a series where drop-dead gorgeous and hunk handsome contestants compete for a coveted cover story in a pop fashion magazine, unaware that they are being judged more on their internal personal character than their external physical attractiveness.

It’s about time someone has spoken the truth about beauty. For too long we’ve been sold and have bought a phony bill of goods that outer beauty is what it’s all about. Poppycock! It’s what’s inside that really counts and God’s Word completely concurs with this assessment. Physical beauty is a gift from God and to be enjoyed and appreciated, but never worshipped or valued to the exclusion of the inner person. Here are a few thoughts on God’s version of “True Beauty”.


TRUE BEAUTY IS A MATTER OF INNER HEART, NOT OUTWARD APPEARANCE. 1 Peter 3:1-3

The cosmetic industry is a multi-billion dollar global industry. For centuries women have invested much of their time and money in enhancing their beauty. Fashion magazines highlight the winning wardrobe, the latest hairdo and the lipstick and eyeshadow supposedly guaranteed to win the heart of the man they are after. While maintaining one’s outward attractiveness is a commendable thing, it isn’t the place God focuses on, nor is it the area we should place the emphasis on either. While Madison Avenue offers the trinkets of diamonds, gold and mascara, God presents the gems of inner gentleness and tranquility as the best ways to adorn one’s life. Just as a gemologist cuts and shapes a diamond to reflect the maximum amount of light, so God shapes the lives of His people so as to maximize the reflection of the light of His Son. The woman who allows God to facet her character will experience the joy of having others see the meekness and gentleness of Christ sparkle through their lives. The process is intense and prolonged, but the end product is a thing of most exquisite beauty, and an item of highest value according to the Divine Appraiser. In a most interesting footnote, Peter mentions a husband’s opportunity to shine with inner beauty as he treats his wife as a very expensive vase, handling her with the greatest of care and thoughtfulness.


TRUE BEAUTY IS PRICELESS YET FREE. 1 Peter 3:4

The Hope diamond is the largest such gem in the whole world. Imagine the tag affixed on it should it ever go up for auction! No one reading this would ever be able to finance such a purchase. But the wonderful thing about true beauty is that it is available to everyone. All that’s needed is the desire for and commitment to becoming like Jesus in heart and mind. This world’s most highly prized gems are well out of reach for the average person, but God places inner attractiveness within the reach of each and every one of His children.
The fruit of the Spirit is actually the present possession of every believer, it only waits to be released the chance to be displayed in the life.


TRUE BEAUTY IS REALIZED THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD. 1 Peter 3:5-7

So what’s the pathway to inner beauty? Is it a trip to the mall, an appointment with the hairstylist? A consult with an image specialist? None of the above. Women who are wise will trade hours in front of the mirror for hours spent prayerfully poring over the truths found in the transforming Word of God. Therein lies the secret to attaining true inner beauty. But exposure is the just the beginning, for life transformation occurs only when the truth is consistently applied to life. For illustrative purposes Peter turns to the ancient beauty, Sara. She accepted her Biblical role as one of submission to Abraham, and graciously glorified God in that position from which she supported and complimented her husband as he endeavored to serve the Lord.

Obedience is not at all reserved for the homely and wallflower types. Sara’s stunning beauty is repeatedly
noted in the Scriptures, revealing that it is possible to be beautiful on the outside as well as the inside. Such an accomplishment will require work, however, because the world will push the attractive person in the direction of preoccupation with themselves and their beauty instead of shooting for godliness. Obedience to the Lord and His Word is an option for rich and poor, lovely and homely, simple or sophisticated.


TRUE BEAUTY IS DEMONSTRATED IN RELATIONAL FIDELITY. Pro. 31:12

It is most instructive how that Peter uses Sara’s marital relationship as the arena through which inner beauty is put on display. It was in the way that she daily interacted with Abraham that her true colors came out. The writer of the book of Proverbs highlights this same type of marital fidelity as one of the crowning virtues of the true woman of God. Her loyalty to her husband never comes into question, so his trust in her is always and at all times well-placed. Some women gifted with good looks use their beauty to flirt and toy with the eyes and hearts of men other than their own husbands, but the godly beauty keeps her heart right at home, saving her entire self for her beloved mate.


TRUE BEAUTY IS REFLECTED IN GODLY CHARACTER. Proverbs 31:13-31

Disney projects the princess image of beauty consistently. She’s always decked out in a fabulous flowing gown, and well-heeled in slippers fit for a queen. Her hair is full and flowing, and her hands are soft and untouched by the demands of manual labor. But the Proverbs woman is seen as a “roll-up-your-sleeves” kind of gal. She’s unafraid of hard work, and happily engages in activities requiring a high degree of physical exertion and some serious effort (17). In short, she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty, be it in the garden or washing the family laundry. Her productivity encompasses the domestic as well as the commercial spheres, with each venture yielding highly productive results.

Character is also seen in the manner in which she relates to those around her. She attends to every detail of her children’s lives, clothing and feeding them with the greatest of T.L.C. (15, 21). Then her sphere of influence branches out to include the needy in her community, to whom she extends a hand of practical care and genuine concern (20). She is a fountain of wisdom for those in need of good advice, providing counsel that comes straight from the Word of God (26).


TRUE BEAUTY FAR OUTLASTS TEMPORAL GOOD LOOKS AND CHARM. Pro. 31:30a

The Proverb writer makes an important observation about the longevity of godly inner beauty. While physical outer beauty has its short-lived day in the sun, the beauty God values most lasts forever. Peter describes it in very similar terms as “unfading beauty”. Unlike rouge and eyeliner which fade overnight, or lovely eyes and form of face that age with time, the quality of inner beauty knows no such limitations. It lasts forever. That aspect of godly beauty alone is enough to warrant one’s pursuit of inner beauty with all their power. The wise woman invests, not for time, but for eternity. Her heart stays in hot pursuit of the God Who is busily transforming her interior life from glory to glory. As she does so, others will stand up and take note of the remarkable and rare beauty which shines in and through her life. This is the kind of magnetism God desires in the life of each of His precious daughters of Abraham. And this is the kind of true beauty Solomon’s mother advise her son to look for in the woman he would someday marry.


TRUE BEAUTY IS SOURCED IN GENUINE RESPECT FOR GOD. Pro. 31:30b ; 1 Peter 3:1-2

The world heaps its accolades of praise upon the women with the most shapely figures and impeccably perfect and unblemished faces. They win the cover shots on the best-selling magazines, get all the media attention and enjoy all the perks that come with the territory of being a celebrity. But God reserves His praise for the woman who places her relationship with Him at the very zenith of her priority list. She’s concerned with honoring the Lord in everything she says and does. Her heart is not obsessed with looking like a movie star, but rather, with shining like a star of holiness before her Lord. She demonstrates her respect for God in the way she lives out her faith, careful not to act in ways unbecoming one who names the name of Jesus Christ.

Such a life can and often does have a tremendous spinoff effect. Though worthwhile in itself, the godly lifestyle of a Christian wife can have a most positive influence upon her unsaved spouse. As she allows the Lord to hold first place in her heart, her husband may take note of her upstanding life and be inexplicably and irresistibly drawn to the One Who lives His life in and through her. Peter states that evangelism in the home can take place without a verbal witness, a tract or other conventional methodologies. Instead, non-Christian husbands can be won by the consistent witness of a wife who has enthroned the Lord Jesus Christ as the King of her life, and becomes a conduit of His love and grace to her life partner.