BE Beautiful

Not too long ago I was asked to stand up at church and share about my involvement with our small group (called house churches) and women’s ministries. Most eyes would be on me so naturally I wanted to make sure I looked good. I was thinking about what I should wear and hoping that my hair would cooperate. My curls tend to do what they want when they want.

I took a shower and washed and dried my hair. I was having a REALLY bad hair day. NO exaggeration whatsoever. So, I was semi-panicking about what I was going to look like at church. I was thinking that maybe I could wear a hat or perhaps by some miracle it would magically sit correctly or at worse I'd have to wear it in a ponytail - yuck. Some women can toss their hair in a ponytail and look adorable. My hair doesn’t toss into a ponytail, it needs to be corralled.

In the midst of my panic and search for a lasso, Jesus swooped in and smacked me back to reality a bit. He told me to stop trying to LOOK beautiful and actually try to BE beautiful. What? How the heck do you be that? The answer was simple - remember that I already AM beautiful therefore I can BE beautiful. It's an attitude not a set of clothing I put on or a hairstyle I have. So, yes, as a woman I am always going to think about what I'm wearing and what my hair looks like, etc. However, my value and beauty do not come from those things.

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. 1 Peter 3:3-4