Is Appearance Everything?

We live in a world where much emphasis is placed on appearance; how you look, how you dress and to a certain extent what you wear or rather whose ‘name’ you wear. You flip open the cover of a Glamour magazine and from the word go you are welcomed by beauty tips, funky new hairstyles to try out, hits or miss’ of celebrity outfits, latest trends from the runway and makeup products to match your vibrant personality & dress style.  Appearance seems to be everything or is it? We spend so much time focusing on how we look on the exterior; the hair, dress, the nails, accessories etc. (which is not a bad thing, I mean you should look good) but what about the interior? What about the person you are on the inside? Is that person as furbished as your exterior?

There is certainly nothing wrong with looking good, do not get me wrong but my worry is: we focus so much on the external person to the point where we neglect the internal one - which happens to be the most important because that is the person you really are, not your clothes or accessories or make up or hair. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says “Do not let your adorning be external – the braiding of hair and putting on of gold jewellery, or the clothing you wear – 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.” So clear and precise. Imperishable beauty comes from the hidden person of the heart who is of a gentle and quiet spirit. What really attracts people to a person is not how they look but who they are on the inside. And I believe that if you spend time nurturing that person you are on the inside that is where your real beauty will radiate from. If people like you because of what you have, how you dress and how you look then they have not discovered the real beauty within you. If you love yourself because of how you look on the outside then you have not had an encounter with the beauty that resonates within you. If I were to ask you this question: What is beautiful about you? What would you say?

1Timothy 2:9-10 says “Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness – with good works.” Ladies (something on the side) if you want a good godly man to notice you; braided hair, gold, or pearls and costly attires will get you somewhere but nowhere really. It is good works that will attract him to you & make him fall helplessly in love with you. Good works emanate as a result of the "hidden person’s" condition. If the condition of the hidden person exudes love, humility, forgiveness, kindness, giving, encouragement then no doubt the works will express that love, humility, forgiveness, kindness, giving and encouragement. The focus on braided hair, gold and apparel can only attract the wrong men who are drawn to you by lust (and that is the last thing you want). Notice the focus; by focus I mean that it becomes a way in which you define you. Meaning that for example; if you don’t have a weave on – you don’t feel yourself, if not wearing make-up (lipstick, gloss or mascara) you don’t feel yourself or if you don’t have your nails done – you feel incomplete. This summarily means that you value more how you look which sometimes can be an obsession that overshadows your inner splendour.

So what am I saying? Invest in your hidden person of the heart as the bible calls it. Adorn that person with the word of God. Let the word mesmerise, transform and renew the hidden person of the heart. As it is transformed on a daily basis, that gentle and quiet spirit will ooze out of you without even trying hard and the good works will come naturally. Intentionally decide (like you decide on your wardrobe) to allow Christ to work in your hidden person of the heart through His word. And with doing that; your inner beauty will shine. When your inner beauty shines, you won’t need to rely on your exterior to express who you are but this inner magnificence will advocate for you. Appearance may be something but it is not everything, inner splendour is.

If you have any testimony to share, message or note, please feel free to leave a comment below or e-mail at: lassvilletoryland@gmail.com  

Much love, be blessed.