"Beauty or Vanity?"

Howdy y'all!
I hope you are all doing good. I'm doing better than I deserve for sure. :)

I have some delicious inspiration right now and I decided to harness it into a blog post. (Imagine that...)

Since the purpose of my blog is to encourage young ladies I have decided to write about something that is near and dear to my heart, and that is probably near and dear to the heart's of most young ladies out there.

Beauty.

What comes to your mind when you think about that word?
I did a little survey with some of my family members to get their opinions.
I asked, "When I say the word 'beauty' what comes to your mind?" Here's some of their answers:

Brother Josh: "A beautiful virtuous woman."
My Mom: "I think of a pretty sky or something."
Other Brother (Of course his fiancé comes to mind first, but I wanted something other than that! ha ha): "Beauty on the inside and out."
My Dad: "William Tyndale -who invented the word." (My Dad's so smart!)
One of my sisters: "I think of a fluffy and cute teddy bear hamster!"
And me: "Babies." (They are literally perfect!)

"Beauty defined in the dictionary:

beau·ty

/ˈbyuti/ Show Spelle[byoo-tee]  

noun, plural beau·ties.

1. the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).

2. a beautiful person, especially a woman.

3. a beautiful thing, as a work of art or a building.

4. Often, beauties. something that is beautiful in nature or in some natural or artificial environment.

5. an individually pleasing or beautiful quality; grace; charm: a vivid blue area that is the one real beauty of the painting.

When I think of beautiful things soo many different images come to my mind:

God's creation, beautiful people I know, the words of God, etc.

I think everywhere you go you'll see that beauty is admired and appreciated. But, is the world's definition of beauty different from God's definition of beauty? Oh yes! Please take a moment with me as I explore and critique and analyze "beauty"...

When I was a little girl I always dreamed that one day I would grow up to become an amazingly beautiful princess that could walk in a room and have everyone dazzled by my loveliness. (Was I the only little girl who had these dreams?!) I always couldn't wait to grow up and become one of the "older girls" who always-beyond all my little girl reason- seemed to be perfectly beautiful all the time! I mean these girls never had stains on their clothes, there hair was always combed and fixed real nice, and they always had the neatest things to look at in their purses  (I always couldn't figure out how they could have such huge purses and have so much stuff to put in it! I only had a little "Hello Kitty" purse, and I couldn't find anything to put in it. I had tracts, toys, and a little hair brush- but those were considered very dull compared with the amazing stuff in their pocketbooks. *shakes head and smiles* Little girls and their notions...)

I had seen lots of "beautiful" people, but there were two people in my young life that I looked up to as "THE Princesses":

1) My Mom. She was the number one "Princess". She was (and still is!) the most beautiful woman in the world to me. Even when her hair was messy and she had just got out of bed. Nobody could ever convince me that she was not the most gorgeous princess out there! :)

2) I didn't have many others (I mean who could compare to my mom! ha ha). But, there was this one young lady I met that really stood out to me as a beautiful princess.She always was smiling, she dressed very modestly, she was clearly in love with Jesus, and she just had this light in her eyes that transformed her face! It was baffling to me how she could be so beautiful. I decided that I wanted to become just like that when I got older.

(By the way- I know lots more ladies now who would qualify as "Princesses" but, I'll get to that in a minute!)

So what do you think about all my childish thoughts?

When the world defines beauty it's not a good definition at all (most of the time).

I was in Wal-Mart with my older brother shopping yesterday and a stand for L'Oreal make-up caught my eye (not the make-up but what it said on the stand).  It was so intriguing (and I had been meditating on this post) so I wrote down what it said in my notebook to share with you all. It said: "WOMAN OF WORTH. Celebrating woman making a beautiful difference." And it had picture of some very immodestly dressed woman on the stand. I was like, "What?! Woman of worth?! Whatever!" ha ha

The world considers very immodestly dressed make up queens as "beautiful woman of worth." I mean they have "beauty pageants" to determine if these woman are the most beautiful woman in the World, country, state, city, and school.  (I was at "Chick-fil-a" with my brother yesterday jotting down notes for this post when in came "Miss Princess" of our valley (probably only 6 years old). I thought it tied in great to my post so I observed her for a moment. I watched -unnoticed- as she looked down at the other little girls with a very snobbish expression, and she was ridiculously proud. I was unmoved at seeing her, but you should've seen the jealous faces of those little girls! It was sad.)

You see magazines, movies, and the internet ascribing beauty to certain woman, and encouraging you to look just like them. They have (what everyone thinks is) perfect skin, hair, teeth, and bodies. They score worldly applause and male approval and thus make every woman jealous of them. All the girls want to look just like them, do their hair like them, and wear the clothes they wear. And when I see it, all I can think of is how VAIN it all is. Vanity of vanities like the preacher said.

"Vanity" means "emptiness", and that is it. Chasing after worldly beauty will get you no where except depressed and discouraged because you can't seem to get "perfect" enough.

But why does it seem to be in every girl's heart to be a beautiful princess? Why do we appreciate beauty so much? Is there something deeper than just looking "perfect" on the outside?

Yes! It's so much deeper!

I would have to write a book in order to completely relate what I want to say, but I will try to make this short. (Try... ha ha)

The Bible does have things to say about "beauty", but don't be shocked when you find out that God's definition is NOT like the world's at all.

1 Samuel 16:7,  "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

So God's more concerned with the heart.... One guy said one time, "I don't want a woman who just turns my head but a woman who turns my heart."

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

Beauty may be praise by the world but God's not going to praise you for that! Who's praise do you really want?

Ezekiel 16:14, "And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God."

God puts HIS beauty upon you. Have you ever met someone who's passionately in love with Jesus? There's something about the light in their eyes and the way they smile that makes them beyond beautiful! I heard a testimony of some girls in China who loved God so much that their faces literally shone. People would come up and stare at them and then ask them why! Isn't that amazing?

Psalm 4:2-3, "O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him."

God has a people set-apart for Himself who will not love vanity.

2 Corinthinas 6:16-18, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

Be separate from the world, don't take beauty advice from them! You are the temple of God!

Psalm 45:10-11, "Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him."

He desires HIS beauty that He puts upon you.

Galatinas 1:10, "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."

Are you seeking to please men or God??????????

1 Peter 2:9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;"

A ROYAL priesthood! You are a princess. I suggest that you act it and look it.

You know what's beautiful? Jesus Christ! He's the most beautiful thing in the universe. He's holy, and pure, and altogether lovely. Don't you want to look like Him? I do!

I really am not overly concerned if I don't have perfect hair, teeth, or skin. My concern is with looking my best for Jesus Christ- my Saviour and Beloved bridegroom. Does He see HIMSELF when he looks at me? In light of ETERNITY what really matters? Really.

I'm not saying you don't take care of yourself though. I mean your body is the temple of the Lord. I'm just saying there's a difference between taking care of yourself and being vain. Also, watch your motives. Do you cake on the eye make-up or stand in front of the mirror for hours in order to get perfect hair because you want that, ahem, cute guy to notice you?

The perfect guy for you is not just going to be physically attracted to you. A good godly guy is going to look at your heart first thing. (To read more on this subject go to these posts: "Attractive or a turnoff? What do the guys think?"  and "Who Are You really Trying to Attract?" )

I personally know some VERY beautiful woman (and some of these woman don't even wear make-up!). These woman are on fire for God, in love with Him, and they radiate light, joy and purity (my Mom being one of the BEST examples -of course! ha ha). I look to these woman as role models for me to be like. I don't look at the world, I look at Jesus, the Bible, and holy woman of God.

What do you look at? What defines beauty to you? Are you chasing emptiness?

 

                                                                                                                                SELAH.

Here's a great quote:
Former U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall lamented back in the 1940's,
"Godly womanhood... the very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now. We hear about every other type of woman: beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career women, talented women, divorced women. But so seldom do we hear of a godly woman -or of a godly man either for that matter. We believe women come nearer to fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife, than to be a Miss-America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realms of morals to be old-fashioned, than to be ultra-modern. The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right then socially correct."

Some books I recommend:

A King James Bible (go read about some of those beautiful woman in the Bible!)

"Set-Apart Femininity" By, Leslie Ludy

"Authentic Beauty" by, Leslie Ludy

I think God can and will beautify you more than any make-up or clothes can. Seek His face and fall all the more in love with Him, and let Him transform you with His light, joy, and purity! <3

I love you all! Have a great night.

KEEP THYSELF PURE

Your sis in Christ,

~Hope Jerusalem <3