“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30 NIV84).
“Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. …A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man” (1 Corinthians 11:3,7-8 NIV84).
I’ve been thinking a lot about beauty this week as I prepare to preach this coming Sunday about biblical femininity. It seems to me that beauty is a kind of proof for God. There’s something about true beauty that cannot be explained with evolutionary theory. There’s something of intrinsic value that beauty portrays to us that speaks of a deeper truth. I think beauty and God’s glory are somehow connected.
Pastor John Piper, who never tires of speaking of God’s glory, seems to agree. He defines God’s glory like this:
“I believe the glory of God is the going public of his infinite worth…The public display of the infinite beauty and worth of God is what I mean by glory.”
Beauty, like glory, is the manifestation of an inner character. True beauty is more than “skin deep.” It is the showing forth of that which is beautiful within.
When we are born again through the receiving of God’s Son, we are transformed and given His beautiful character. As this redeemed character shines out in our behavior, we again become like the image of God, bringing glory to Him in this world.
The unique and beautiful design of a daughter of God is that she is the “glory of man” and together they are made in the image of God.
When we submit to God’s design for our lives, we experience the beauty of God.
Have learnt a lot. God bless you.