beautiful,beautiful...

When I stand in line at the grocery store and see the multitude of magazine covers depicting young starlets, it appears that these young ladies are looking for - longing for - love and attention. Unless you are what is considered by society to be beautiful or famous (in some cases, famous just for being beautiful) then you are not likely to appear on the front cover.  Of course, there is the option of gaining headline status based on a scandal or some kind of sensational and bizarre behavior. After viewing their escapades, I am frequently inspired to sit the Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan types of the world down and give them a motherly “pep talk”. I see how difficult it is for girls to navigate through a world full of perfect hair and skinny jeans.  Many a girl stands in front of their mirror grimacing at their chubby cheeks, or mentally measuring the circumference of their thighs. And not just young girls, but girls of every age are susceptible. However, God has no such value system …"the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

I knew a girl in college who was younger than me and honestly she was a rather plain looking girl from a rural town. She was also very sad and had a terrible time adjusting to college life and fitting in with other girls who wore more modern styles and fashions. My group of friends and I invited her to meet with us each morning and walk to the dining hall together.  Most mornings she would appear at our door in a fit of tears; she rarely showed a smile. We prayed for her and reached out to her in friendship but were at a loss as to how else we might help her. I left at the end of the school year wondering what might become of her. Later I received a letter from her. She shared that she had surrendered her life and will to Jesus and wanted me to know how much her life had changed. I soon obtained an Alumni Newsletter from my college and on the pages were pictures of this same girl, same plain dress, plain hair… but the expression on her face...beautiful… as if all of heaven had opened up. Her countenance was so remarkably different; I would not have recognized her if not for the clothes. She was accepting an academic award along with a few other people and she was beaming with confidence, joy and contentment. The peace in her heart was written in the expressions of her face. New life in Jesus …beautiful, beautiful… beauty that every girl with a surrendered heart may exhibit.

“…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.”  1Peter 3:4 (ESV)

Oh Lord, that I may always remember that the beauty of a surrendered heart cannot begin to compare with all the glittering glamour this world has put on display.