Living Water

 

for those who thirst

   

   "Inner Beauty"

   

First Peter 3: 3-4  states that we should spend more of our time cultivating our character than worrying about our outward appearance. "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."

 

God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to annoint one of Jesse's sons as the next king of Israel. Samuel assumed the next king would be tall, handsome and strong. But God chose the youngest son......David, a shepherd boy. 1 Samuel 16:7 reaveals the Lord's

reasoning:  "People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions. Over the centuries, society has continued to value superficial appearances. Plaudits and power still come to the so called, beautiful people.......Sports stars and media celebraties with exceptional physical character-

istics. With such men and women presented as ideals and roll models, it's easy for

so many to feel ugly, unwanted, insignificant, and worthless in comparison.

But God's standards have not changed. Rather than outward appearance, He looks at the inside of a person, examining thoughts and intentions, desires, motives, character, attitudes, and faith.

Expend your energy on developing inner beauty. That's what matters to God. And His opinion is what matters most.

For further study:

The gift of beauty can lead to pride. Eze. 28:17

Beauty comes in many different forms. 1 Cor. 15:41

Appearances can be deceiving.Mat. 23:27

Inner beauty should be a priority. Tim. 2: 9-10

Do not judge people by their outward appearance. James 2: 2-4

 

aren't we all fortunate that our God does not judge us by our physical beauty.

Our mirrors may tell us that we are physically attractive but of what importance is that to anyone other than ourselves? There will always be those who are physically more beautiful than we are. Physical beauty can lose it's charm when the true personality or character of that person is revealed. I have heard as you probably have also, that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. To me my mother was a beautiful lady but it was not only her physical appearance that made her attractive to me, but all of the qualities of her personality. She on the other hand thought that all of her children were beautiful , which is typical of most mother's, right?

We are like mother hens where our children are concerned and will defend our children against all odds. Well, Christ also loves us His children, no matter what our physical appearance might be. For He looks on our hearts and sees the love and the desire to please Him. Therefore, we should strive to make ourselves presentable to Him through being all that He would have us to be through the way we treat others, through unselfishness, humbleness, our actions and words and most of all by the way we love, honor and glorify Him in all that we do or say. Amen?

 

                                          Let the beauty of the Lord be seen in us

                                          each and every day in all we do and say!

                                                  God love you and so do I!

                                                             Helen Johnson