"Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God."
Quality:
Inner Beauty: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit...originating from character, integrity, & faith.
Breakdown:
I daresay that 'Botox', 'augmentation', & 'liposuction' are words that would have been unheard of in biblical times. While I am sure that the Proverbs 31 Woman (P31W) probably had moments of bemoaning the gray in her hair, the lines on her face, & the northerly parts that now sagged south, I am equally as sure that she at some point accepted those features for what they were...evidence of a life well lived.
It would be foolish to say that beauty did not matter to the ancients, scripture makes clear that it did. Sarah, Rebekah, & Bathsheba are women whose beauty was legendary...we won't get into the fact that for each of these women their beauty caused troubles. Song of Solomon is explicit in it's reference to a woman's outer appearance, & Proverbs has admonishments to be wary of placing such importance upon it. Even Jesus was described as being rather homely in his looks. So many references to outward appearance would not be needed if ancient women (& men) did not place as much emphasis on the physical nature as we do. It is common knowledge that Archaeologists have unearthed age-old evidence of makeup, & the biblical stories reference jewelry & clothing as being esteemed gifts...appearance has always been & will always be a matter of importance to humankind. All of that said, it is appropriate & even good to be concerned about one's outward presence, within reason. As we know from studying this section of scripture, some level of consequence has already been placed upon a godly woman's attire & presentation of herself. Problems arise when attention to this becomes all-consuming. In an age of eating disorders, body alteration, epidemic shopping, & with women acting/dressing half their age, it is safe to say that we have crossed that barrier. Let me pause and say this, I am not casting judgement or condemning use of Botox or surgical procedures, that is not my place, in fact I know of circumstances in which it's use has been extremely beneficial. It is a transparent admission that having borne 3 children, I've spent my fair share of time examining what could be enhanced with a few nips & tucks. The point that I want to make is that when we spend so much time with our eyes on the mirror, it is impossible to keep our eyes on Him.
I can just picture the women of old as they would wash clothes in the creeks & small rivers. They'd lean out over the water as they scrubbed, catching a brief glimpse of themselves. Work worn hands would reach up to brush back mussed hair, & gently sliding down their faces to momentarily smooth out wrinkles. The women would groan & say something like, "Oy, would you look at that, so many lines! Once I had skin smooth as silk!" Perhaps the older women would cast an envious glance at the young girls who were blissfully unaware of what time & hard work would one day do to their smooth complexions & luxurious hair. As the women stood up & hefted the heavy baskets to their shoulders, they'd hope that their labors would help shed the extra pounds they carried. One woman, a woman whom all the others admired, would chuckle to herself. She'd smooth out her dress, adjust her covering, & call out, "You know what they say, 'The pride of the young is their strength; the dignity of the old is gray hair.'" (Proverbs 20:29) She would laugh out loud as this caused scowls & huffs among the women, & she'd inwardly pray that they'd soak in the wisdom of this truth. That woman, the P31W, would know with utter confidence what so many other women did not know,
"Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God."
Oh yes, I am quite certain that these biblical women were not so different from you & I. These women had the same thoughts, the same worries, the same desires that you & I have today. They struggled with the same battles & endured the same fears. They had the same petty envies & jealousies, & they felt the same pull to conform to whatever society deemed beautiful.
The great encouragement arises from watching that godly woman. She was one who might not have the hour-glass figure, the thick curly hair, piercing eyes, or small dainty nose, but there was something about her that was captivating. She was a woman that turned the heads of both men & women, not by any intention for attention, but because of who she was. The P31W was one that some women looked upon with disdain & others looked upon with admiration. She was a woman of mystery to those who did not know the God she served, & she was a woman of great esteem to those who wanted to be like her. She had a confidence that was not centered on self, but on Him. The P31W knew that as much as her nature longed to be beautiful & to be admired for it that such a desire was shallow. Time & the trials of life would produce signs of aging that no makeup nor gown could hide, but if her heart was set upon Abba, then beauty of the truest & purest kind would radiate forth, making her beautiful for all time. She knew that the most beautiful of women could often look harsh & unattractive because of the ugly & bitterness from within. The P31W knew that what's on the inside, sooner or later, comes out. (Luke 6:45) She knew that loving the Lord, & exuding this love created an other wordly beauty that would not fade with time. The P31W knew & trusted that pursuit of her Abba was far more worthwhile & honorable than pursuit of a pleasing appearance. She knew that when her time on this world ended people would reminisce about her character far more than they would recall how long her eyelashes were. As we know from earlier in this chapter, the P31W had nice clothes & a pleasant appearance, but we also know that this did not consumer her nor bankrupt her. The P31W had a clear perspective on what was truly important & what was truly worthy of esteem & she pursued that. Her standards were not compliant with the world & society, but with what her Father wanted. Her real measure of beauty came from who she was, not what she wore.
Application:
With honesty & with thick skin, examine the amount of time, effort, & finances you spend on your appearance. Be truthful with yourself about what changes need to be made in that regard. Proverbs 31:30 makes clear that the woman deserving of praise is not the one who is most fashionable or most beautiful, but the one whose identity is in her Father. If this is an area in which you struggle, I challenge you to redirect your thoughts. Each time you begin to fret about this wrinkle or that pound, this gray hair or that loose skin,those old clothes in your closest or the new ones you saw in the store, turn to Him, open your Bible and read Proverbs 31. Remind yourself of your goal to be a God-focused, righteous, P31W woman & fill your heart & mind with the desire for inner beauty.
Be Blessed this day
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