Proverbs 31:30
"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Growing up in a very visual and appearance focused culture is so hard on women. We observe time and time again how important looks are to this world. Attractive people even earn 12% more in the work place than "unattractive people"(see www.independent.co.uk). And it just gets worse from there. Plainly put, to this world, looks matter.
To God, beauty is very important. He wants us to have beautiful hearts full of compassion and kindness. I struggled growing up with not feeling "pretty enough", and I am positive I am not the only woman who has ever felt this way. It is hard to shut the world out and focus on what God thinks, but that is why I so love this verse. External beauty is here today and gone tomorrow. A women who worships and fears the one true God, she is who really deserves praise in this backwards culture we live in!
Not just women, but men feel this way too (concerns about looks, strength, athletic ability. Prov. 31 speaks to all of us.
ReplyDeleteDJ at the Quiet Quill (http://thequietquill.blogspot.com/) just posted a series on Prov. 31. I wrote the article on this verse. You can find the whole series here if you are interested in checking it out: http://thequietquill.blogspot.com/search/label/%22Proverbs%2031%22%20Series (I think you would like her blog).
Good post, Warren