Beauty.

I am not a model.

I have never been a model, nor will I probably ever be a model.

I don’t have a closet filled to the brim with name brands. It’s namely filled with things from Target and savers.

I don’t have hair that’s the perfect texture and length, and it takes a lot of heat to get it to fall in somewhat normal layers around my face.

I most certainly am not blessed with perfect skin - day after day it is a struggle to keep the red lumps from appearing on it. And most times, one, two sometimes even ten red angries bubble up to the surface, unaffected by the treatments.

My voice cracks when I sing sometimes because I simply cannot hit the notes that Idina Menzel hits.

My piano skills are simple and it’s taken me a year to complete a six-page song that for some would take a single day.

My body isn’t slim and trim without effort - it requires persistence, dedication, and accountability on my part to achieve a body that I am content with.

And I’m not gonna lie...I look at people and see their model build, their closet whose inhabitants are drenched in logos of the stores that I would love to shop at. I see hair that falls perfectly as soon as the person wakes up, I see skin that is without blemish and I hear voices that can hit notes that seem to be untouchable for my range. I see bodies of people who eat junk food all day that are slimmer and more trim than my own - worked out and all.

I see their exterior and think to myself, “I wish…”

Fill in the blank.

Now, this isn’t me fishing for compliments...TRUST ME IT’S NOT. This is just me saying that I look at people and see their outward beauty and go, “Man. That’d be nice to have.”

I’ve been thinking lately about how much I dwell on the exterior appearance of those around me and my own meager outside shell.

I don’t normally look at someone and say, “Man. Look at how kind she is to people.”

I don’t normally look at someone and say to myself, “Wow! Look at the way she serves so selflessly.”

I normally look at people and say, “Wow. Her gene pool really treated her well. Look at her hair and the way her skin seems to be flawless!”

I look at people and say, “Holy mackerel. She’s practically perfect.”

Well, here’s the thing. I’m realizing how superficial number one, my own thoughts towards people are and number two, how superficial outer beauty is, how fleeting an exterior appearance truly is.

And I’ve been countering these thoughts about superficiality with thoughts of the everlasting God, and the image He has given me of a woman with true, real, deep, beauty.

I’ve been dwelling on what true beauty is for a good solid few months, and countering my superficial facts of what beauty is by what the Lord has given me about true beauty. And here is what I have come up with.

True beauty doesn’t rely on name brands.

True beauty doesn’t rely on model stature.
True beauty doesn’t rely on being able to roll out of bed with perfect hair.

True beauty doesn’t rely on the ability to reach seemingly untouchable notes.

True beauty doesn’t rely on perfect skin.

True beauty doesn’t rely on piano skills.

True beauty doesn’t rely on good grades, being photogenic, being able to dance well, having perfect pitch, possessing the ability to accompany the melody of a song you love by just hearing the track once - you name the exterior characteristic or talent of someone you find as being “perfect” externally.

That is not true beauty.

True beauty does not rely on that.

And in realizing these things, I’m also realizing that if I were stripped of every part of my external appearance that I find to be “redeeming” I wouldn’t feel beautiful.

I ask myself why? And I get this:

Because I feel that those around me only think I’m beautiful because of my outward appearance.

And here’s the shocker: If those that you consider important are only your friends because you are a pretty face, they’re not important. Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t love them -  the King loves them as much as He loves you and we as christians are called to love our neighbors.

What this does mean is that they are around you for the wrong reasons.

Your friend circle should love you whatever state you’re in because it’s not the outward appearance that matters but the inward that outweighs all.

There is an abundance of scripture that’s being holds what true beauty is.

All that beauty truly is can be found in the details of the word.

Rather than the list of what True Beauty isn’t, this is a list of what True Beauty is.

True Beauty is fearing the Lord in all that you do. 
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. - Proverbs 31:30
True beauty is a quiet spirit and a gentle nature.

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. - 1 Peter 3:4
True Beauty is understanding that your future is in the Lords hands, and savoring life without fear because He is and therefore you have abundant hope.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs without fear of the time to come. 
Proverbs 31:25
True Beauty is wisdom. 
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

                Proverbs 31:26
True Beauty is found within your heart.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7
True Beauty is the Lords living work within your soul. 
And because of Jesus?

"You are altogether beautiful, my darling, And there is no blemish in you.”  - Song of Solomon 4:7