The 21st-century woman is obsessed with beauty. If you have not noticed this, open your eyes a little wider as you walk along the streets of your hometown. See the brighter lipsticks, the unique hairstyles, the figure-hugging outfits, the shiny jewelry, and lots more. Now, the pursuit of outward beauty is not necessarily a bad thing. Have you ever thought, however, what it would be like to have inner beauty as well? Wouldn’t it be better to be admired for your inner beauty as well as your outward beauty? This verse from Song of Songs puts it so well;
Song of Songs 4:7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.” (NLT)
As a woman, I would certainly want to be called altogether (completely, utterly, entirely, fully) beautiful.
Let us look at a few qualities of inner beauty
1. Wisdom
Proverbs 14:1 “A wise woman builds her home, a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.” (NLT)
We may ask ourselves, where does the wisdom that a woman needs to build and sustain a home come from? It comes directly from God himself. All we need to do is ask. King Solomon, just after he had ascended to power, was asked by God what he desired most. His answer as recorded in 1 Kings 3:9 was;
“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”(NLT)
Solomon was granted that wisdom and was the wisest man who ever lived. Why do you think he asked for wisdom and not fame and riches? He realized that to accomplish the task God had given him to do; he needed divine wisdom. Wisdom guides our choices and helps us make the right decisions when in difficult situations. Wisdom helps us manage our affairs in a way that is pleasing to God and men. Proverbs 31 has some words about a wise woman;
Proverbs 31:26 “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” (NLT)
Wisdom is a rare commodity. Women who are wise are therefore considered beautiful and are held in high esteem.
2. A Gentle and Quiet Spirit
1 Peter 3:4 “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (NLT)
Ask yourself honestly, if someone were to look inside your heart right now, would they find gentleness and quietness, or bitterness and anger? Did you know that what you feel in your heart reflects on your face? The Apostle Paul realized that many of the women at the time were focusing on their outward beauty to hide the true state of their hearts. He was not fooled, however, and saw right through them.
A gentle and quiet spirit is developed at the feet of Jesus, through prayer, reading the Bible, spending time with him and learning from him daily. The woman with this kind of spirit is always at peace because she knows who rules her heart and her life. As she spends more time with God, she begins to think and act a way that pleases him. With time, the inner beauty begins to radiate outwards, making the woman glow. Haven’t you met women who are not physically attractive yet their hearts just seem to draw you to them? There’s your answer. The gentle and quiet spirit.
3. The Fear of the Lord
Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last, but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” (NLT)
Charm, beauty, and fear of the Lord stand out in this verse. Out of the three, it is the fear of the Lord that endures and brings praise to a woman. What does it mean to fear the Lord?
To have a fear of the Lord means to have awe, respect, and reverence for a holy, righteous and just God. If you take the time to know God, you will discover that though he is a loving God, he has set standards of righteousness that he expects us to live by. These standards become apparent to us as we spend quality time in his presence. With time, you learn what pleases him and how to live as he wants you to. Your outward behavior begins to change, and people start to notice. They see the beauty of a woman totally sold to living for God, and praise you for the beautiful woman you have become!
4. Strength
The word strength does not sound beautiful, does it? Many people believe that beautiful women are frail and dainty. Let us, however, think of strength in terms of firmness, character, determination, tenacity and moral fibre. A strong woman is firm and sticks to her principles. She also takes the time to develop her character by spending time with God and people who can encourage, motivate and build her up. A woman of strength is determined and tenacious in everything she does because she knows that God is her driving force. She will also have strong moral fiber, and is not easily swayed because she knows her position. The strong woman will do whatever it takes to protect and shield her family from evil. The Proverbs 31 woman was this kind of woman.
Proverbs 31:17 – 18 “She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamps burn late into the night.” (NLT)
Proverbs 31:25 “Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; And she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared].” (AMP)
A strong woman is, therefore, beautiful, and brings praise to her family. See what they have to say about her below:
Proverbs 31:28-29 ‘Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:”There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!“‘ (NLT)
The real beauty of a woman, therefore, is one that you develop from the inside. A truly beautiful woman has all of the qualities listed above, and more because she realizes that her purpose on this earth is not just about her, but about God and his ultimate goal for her life. The inner beauty of a woman draws people to Christ.
Let us all strive to develop this inner beauty that is precious to God.