I was doing my quiet time on Thursday morning before I started to revise for my microbiology quiz on Friday. I was reading Proverbs 31: 10-31. Proverbs has a lot to say about women. How fitting that the book ends with a picture of a woman of strong character, great wisdom, many skills and great compassion.

This verse particularly struck me Proverbs 31: 30.

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

In this present dark world which we are all living in. We can easily be deceived into looking into outward appearance and not the heart which can be destructive at times. But its really comforting to know that God looks at your character. Character is more than good looks. Our appearance is important to us and we spend time and money improving it. But how do we develop our inner beauty? Patience, kindness and joy are the beauty treatments that help us become truly lovely on the inside.

In 1 Samuel 16: 7, God judges by faith and character, not appearance. While everyone can see your face, only you and God know what your heart really looks like.

1 Samuel 16:7
“But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Peter 3: 3-4
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

I guess we should really reflect on whether we are looking at outward appearances or are we looking at quality individuals? Are we judging on outward appearances? I hope not.. or at least we are trying not to….