What is Beauty?

What is beauty?  I've heard that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  The online dictionary defines beauty as:

• The quality of being physically attractive
• The qualities in a person or thing that give pleasure to the senses or the mind
• A beautiful woman

And then I turn in my Bible to 1 Peter 3:3-4 and read about beauty.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, 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 know I receive mixed messages about beauty. The world celebrates youth and beauty. Yes, I was once young and enjoyed that time in my life. But now I'm getting older.  So how do I view beauty?

I have to laugh as the children I spend my day with at work speak very openly and bluntly.  Only yesterday, one little girl was touching the skin on my arm and said "Miss Debbie, you're old!"  I had to chuckle and replied "Yes Miss Debbie is old".  I then added "Enjoy your beautiful skin while you're young because it doesn't last forever".  She looked back at me with a quizzical look on her face.

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As I consider beauty, I'm discovering that there's something beautiful about a person who reflects the Biblical passage in 1 Peter.  A gentle and quiet spirit isn't the norm today.  People want to be noticed.  We broadcast our daily activities on Facebook.  But what about the needs that go unnoticed?  The hurts and not so pretty days when life seems to be so hard.  I believe all of us have experienced days like that.

I think of some of the beautiful women who have come alongside me through the years.  Two of them are now gone from this earth and are in heaven.

Susie was my children's supervisor when I was a children's leader in Bible Study Fellowship for seven years.  She also mentored me one on one.  Susie is beautiful.

Georgia was a woman who exemplified the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. She suffered physically and died at a much too young age.  But she impacted me greatly as she was the one who encouraged me to study the Bible in depth for myself.  She taught me to SOAP the Scriptures during my quiet time.  (Scripture, observation, application, prayer)

As I consider beauty, what also comes to my mind is the beauty of God's creation. I've been trying to live with more of an awareness of my surroundings. The children teach me too as I notice their excitement upon discovering new things.  As I'm on the lookout for those every day blessings, my perspective has been slowly changing.

How about you?  How do you define beauty?  Are you focused on the world's definition of beauty?  Are your eyes being opened more to the beauty of God's creation in nature and people?
I'm linking up with Bonnie for Faith Barista Jam.



Blessings and love,