The Distortion of Beauty Part 3

We have recognized the distortion of beauty from the how's to the who's. But what now? How should we respond to this assault?

First, we must push aside the distorted view and see beauty for what it truly is. By rejecting the sinful and contaminated perspective from the world, we are compelled to find a new perspective. This can only be found through a Biblical one.

Do you want to have a Biblical perspective of beauty? Then you must know its Maker.

You see, God Himself is the Creator of beauty. If we want to understand it, we have to understand Him. God designed beauty to be an attraction on the outside and inside- and in its original perfect creation, beauty is a pure and lovely pleasure and a holy attractiveness. Some forget that God loves beauty- He designed it and enjoys it (Genesis 1:31)! So I'm not suggesting that we must be plain, drab, and not spend a second of care on our appearance. Of course not! Who created the sunset, the sparkling ocean, the starry nights, and the female form? God did, and He not only finds beauty in it Himself but He made us to enjoy the beauty as well. Women should enjoy their loveliness! From little girls spinning in their dresses to grown women with a new set of jewelry, we should revel in our prettiness. Too a point.

You see, the problem comes when this drive for beauty consumes us. The time we spend on ourselves spins out of control. Our mental focus is driven to what others think of us. Our good stewardship is lost as our finances are cast away on our search for beauty. Our satisfaction goes only as deep as our appearance pleases us and others. Instead of enjoying our gift of beauty, it becomes an idol.

Do you see how beauty is so often an idol? Is it an idol to you?

We need to use and enjoy our beauty only so much as we can still glorify God in it. This means having an attitude of beauty. We must be beautiful on the inside before we can be truly beautiful on the outside.

Do you know any "beautiful" people who are actually hideous because of their inside self? Are you inwardly beautiful?

We must have a spirit of humility, kindness, thankfulness, and servitude if we want to be truly beautiful (Proverbs 31:30). We also need to limit the time we spend on ourselves! I wonder what would happen to the Church if the women in it spent as much time in the Word and prayer as they do on their appearance. Amazing things could happen!

And also, don't allow the worlds sickness to become yours. Refuse to settle for its cheap definition of beauty. I encourage both men AND women to look away from the ads and magazines. And don't absorb yourself in movies and novels that teach you to live skin deep. View others in a deeper way and view yourself the same. Don't judge others for their appearance- look within.

Look within. This is the key to true beauty. This takes us full circle to my original point in Part 1. As we saw then, man's tendency is to look merely on the outward, but God looks within (1 Samuel 16:7). As Christians, we are called to also look within.

The Bible (in James 1:23,24) talks about how if we look in a mirror physically it matters so us. We primp and remember our appearance. Yet how often we look within ourselves at our spiritual mirrors, see something we know needs changed, and just walk away, completely forgetting what we even look like! We need to be maintaining our inward beauty with much more care and drive than our outward beauty.

So to men and woman alike: next time the world whispers its offer of beauty to you, don't listen. See it for what it really is- fake, distorted, and dying. Choose true beauty, Biblical beauty, instead. Seek the inward first, and enjoy the outward in its Biblical limitations (whether this means a time limit, pride limit, or marriage limit).

The outward is passing, but the inward is eternal. Revel in true beauty, and settle for no less.