Unfading Beauty | Qualities of Women Who Trust Jesus
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.” —1 Peter 3:3-4
I’m getting old.
Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme. But I can’t deny that my body acts differently than it used to—more aches and pains, wrinkles in my face, and pounds on the scale. Fewer cartwheels, good hair days and roller coaster rides (‘cause who wants neck pain for a week?).
Along with our youth, our outward beauty is fading. We may not notice it today or tomorrow, but eventually it’ll catch up with us. The shiny hair, bright eyes and tight skin we once obliviously enjoyed will be a thing of the past.
And we will still be beautiful.
Regardless of the emphasis on external beauty in our world, God talks about beauty differently. To be beautiful is to delight the senses or the mind. Beauty is defined and originated within God because He is the first and ultimate source of delight for our senses and minds.
When our eyes open to this fact— that God is beautiful and that everything beautiful we experience comes from Him (James 1:17)— we have a better foundation to stand on when it comes to our personal sense of beauty.
Our beauty is not determined by our outward appearance but by how we’re reflecting the beauty of our Father. These reflections happen within us first, then exude outward from there.
As the gospel transforms our lives, we begin to think like Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:16) and treat others with kindness, encouragement, generosity and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:25-32). This lifestyle is incredibly attractive to the world around us!
When Peter instructs the church to let our “adorning be the hidden person of the heart,” (1 Peter 3:3-4) he’s challenging us to rethink where the emphasis of beauty is being placed— that’s what the greek word for “adorning” suggests (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). What he’s not saying is that braids in your hair, pretty jewelry and cute clothes are sinful. But does your mindset about beauty revolve around external factors like these? Where is your emphasis?
The type of beauty Peter highlights isn’t the outward kind, which inevitably fades away. He’s emphasizing something different, a personal quality of delightfulness that’s indestructible—the NIV calls it unfading beauty. Contrary to the fleeting nature of outward beauty, this kind can never be corrupted or taken away.
Peter goes on to say that this internal, unfading beauty is comprised of gentleness and quietness of spirit.
Don’t misunderstand. This doesn’t mean that if you’re loud, outgoing, or decisive, you’re disqualified from possessing inner beauty. Here’s what it does mean.
A person with a quiet spirit is not easily disturbed; her feathers are not quickly ruffled. She’s not prone to stirring up trouble or disturbing others just for the heck of it. She might be reserved and soft-spoken or boisterous and assertive, but either way, her heart is as glass-still as the Gulf of Mexico on a windless day.
A person with a gentle spirit has an inward disposition of meekness toward God. She doesn’t think she knows better than Him. She accepts his intentions and ways as good, and she resolves to not resist His will. Rather, she trusts that He has her well-being in mind, and she relies on His strength to defend her against injustice (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon).
You and I might feel like we’re not there yet, like we would love to be this gentle, quiet, beautiful person, but it doesn’t seem likely to happen anytime soon.
Just remember, God is the One who began this transformative work inside of us, and He’ll be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).” — Praise God! Day after day, we are looking more like Jesus. Be confident, Sister, because in Him, we are beautiful!
For Your Journal
Find It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a Bible verse. You can find a verse that fits a current life situation or use the one we used in today’s devotion.
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.” —1 Peter 3:3-4
Fix It:
In this portion of your journal, pull out a few key words from the verse you chose above, or summarize the verse in your own words. Write it in pretty lettering or sketch something that will help you visualize the meaning of the verse and fix it in your mind. Repeat these words to yourself throughout the week to remind you of the truth contained in the scripture. Here are some options:
Unfading Beauty
Gentle + Quiet
Emphasize inner beauty more than outer beauty
Feel It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a prayer. The goal is to absorb the meaning of the Bible passage and let it take root in your heart. Ask the Lord to let his word change you by the power of his Spirit. Surrender any areas of your life that you are trying to control.
Dear Lord, I’m relieved to be reminded that true beauty is about the heart, not outward appearance. (It’s a good thing because some days my outward appearance is strugglin’!) Ultimately I know that while my external self is fading, my internal self is growing more beautiful day by day. Thank you for your transformative work in my life. Continue to align my thinking with yours and help me to reflect your beauty through a heart that is not easily flustered. My desire is to not resist you but to trust in your goodness. Continue to form my heart into shapes of gentleness and quietness. Amen!