Day 10: Focus On Inner Beauty

Dear Little Princess,

From the time you could talk, you’ve been asking Daddy if you look beautiful.  You usually ask this question after putting on a pretty dress-up gown or brushing your hair.  Daddy, ever the good sport, tells you, “yes, Sweetie, you look great!”  And it’s true:  you are beautiful.

However, I want you to know that true beauty doesn’t come from clothing, makeup, hair-dos, or accessories.  It doesn’t even come from your God-given appearance.  True beauty, like modesty, is a heart condition.  If you spend all of your time adorning your outer look but never seek to develop a beautiful spirit, you will have missed the point of the Biblical definition of beauty.

While this doesn’t mean that we should ignore our exterior appearance (more on that tomorrow), it simply means that our outward looks should not be our foremost thought or be all-consuming.  As you brush your hair, think about what inner qualities the Lord desires.  As you choose your outfit, consider what areas in your heart need improvement.

Are you quick to get angry?  Do you have a sharp tongue?  Do you judge those around you?  Do you think on things that are not lovely or pure (Phil. 4:8)?  Ask the Lord to help you in whatever area(s) you are struggling.  Diligently work on them.  Pray about them.  Memorize verses that address each issue.  Read biblically-based books that offer ideas on how to overcome them.  Ask those around you to pray and to hold you accountable.  Choose Biblical attitudes that you want to replace your sinful ones with.  Work as hard at dressing your inner beauty as you do your outer.

I’ve known many women with flawless exteriors, who wear the latest fashions, and who have no depth of character.  It’s very sad to see.  I’ve also known women who are very spiritually mature but who are very homely in appearance, and sadly, not many people pay them any attention because of the false notion that their outer look indicates what their inner character is like.  (There is a difference between homeliness for lack of care and homeliness for lack of income.  I’ll share more about this tomorrow as well.)

We should focus first on our inner character and then move on to our outer style.  Man looks at the outside, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).  Both are important here on Earth, but never forget, Little Princess, that since the Lord cares about the condition of our heart and not of our clothing, our hearts are of much greater value.

All my love,

Mommy