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Saturday, April 2, 2011

Looking Good - Day 74

I know I've made a post similar to this a couple months ago, but I've been reading several articles and some news clippings.. And this is something everyone seems to go through.. You can take a look at it here.

Today I read a study in USA Today about how the top 15% of "good looking" people are 10% happier than the bottom 10% of "ugly" people.

People today put much emphasis on good looks. Buy this shampoo and conditioner to make your hair more beautiful; buy this type of foundation, this type of lipstick; grow your eyelashes longer; and the list takes up hundreds of pages..

Our culture encourages us to see women or men by their physical looks. The character of hundreds of young women you may see every month is judged by their looks and the amount of skin they show. A nice insecurity for young women has been created - they're too fat; they're too skinny; their lips aren't big enough; their hair isn't the right color, etc, etc, etc..

But do they want discretion or modesty? No. They admire a woman who acts like a Proverbs 7 woman. They like to admire the reality stars of today and the women who like to show off their bodies on television and magazines.

Proverbs 11:22 - "Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion."

Proverbs 31:30 - "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

We have to understand that our mission in life is to serve God. God calls us to glorify Him.

1 Corinthian 6:19-20 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

1 Peter 3:3-5 "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:"

But, it's not all about inward beauty alone. In Ezekiel God took Israel as His bride and adorned her with beautiful raiment and jewelry.

Ezekiel 16:10-14 - I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk. And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck. And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares the Lord God."

God doesn't wish us to look ugly and unkempt as we look at this passage, but most verses in the Bible spend much more time talking about the spiritual gifts rather than physical appearance.

I have 4 sisters. Each is different, and they all have their different personalities, different faces, and are at different places in their spiritual journey. They're all beautiful. God has created each one of them in His image. I, as their brother, need to tell them that they are beautiful and not let the world be the one to define this beauty. If they aren't loved and cherished in their own homes, they will want to be loved by the world. So brothers, God has called us to love and protect our sisters. It'll be different for each one in different contexts, but don't be the young child who rags on and makes fun of your sisters. Sure, fun is good, but it should be done in love for them.

Finally, as we look at these women who are beautiful today in the world's eyes, we will watch their bodies shrivel up and become ugly. On the other hand, the godly woman will become more beautiful as the holiness of Christ shines through her. And that is the woman that I want to marry someday.

Picture of the day #74: (old picture, but I think it's appropriate)

6 comments:

Gina said...

Great article, Dan :) What a sweet brother you are to your sisters :)

Rachel said...

Your second to last paragraph is really beautiful. As a sister, I can tell you that that's absolutely priceless.

Emily said...

That's a treasure! Thanks Dan! Love you handsome brother!

Gabriel Hudelson said...

Amen and amen!

Anonymous said...

I still like reading this.

Matthew Thomas said...

I just came across your blog Daniel & I am REALLY digging it!

This line, "I, as their brother, need to tell them that they are beautiful and not let the world be the one to define this beauty. If they aren't loved and cherished in their own homes, they will want to be loved by the world." = SO GOOD!!! Well said & very true!
...I just had to let you know that. Great posts & keep it up! Grace & peace bro,
Matthew