A Beautiful Woman

I was watching Oprah recently. The show was about beauty. The depths women in different continents would go to for beauty was unbelievable. In some countries women drank cow’s urine and in others, women jumped on snow, dressed in towels only, all this in the name of beauty. I could not believe the vanity in all this, but before I could cast the first stone, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a time when I was on a mission in Uganda.

After our mission team spent five days teaching and encouraging the saints at our sister church in Kampala, our mission leader graciously gave us a day off. Our host had planned to take us to Jinja, a city 54 miles (87 km) east of Kampala for the day. Jinja, is located on the shores of Lake Victoria and the source of the Nile River (the longest river in the world) is found there. We were all looking forward to the trip until I remembered that in two weeks time I was going to be a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding. At that time my hair was “misbehaving”. What was I going to do with it? Suddenly I had a difficult decision to make, Jinja or my hair? I am afraid that on that particular occasion my hair won the day. How could I, possibly, miss this kairos* moment? Back home in South Africa I swear by any Ugandan saloon.

Peter says, “ Do not let your adornment be merely outward – arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel –rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God,” 1 Pet. 3: 3-4. These verses do not negate outer beauty. Thank goodness! They exhort women to work harder on their inner beauty.

In their book Captivating, John and Stassi Eldredge describe a woman as the crown of creation. They go on to explain why beauty matters. It matters because;

1. Beauty speaks. It speaks hope.
2. Beauty invites. It invites us to enjoy it.
3. Beauty nourishes. It offers life.
4. Beauty comforts. It soothes.
5. Beauty inspires. It inspires us to excel.
6. Beauty is transcendent. It makes us long for heaven.

I wonder how the world would be if more women invested as much time, effort and money on their inner beauty as they do on their outer beauty. Mother Teresa’s inner beauty continues to speak, to invite, to nourish, to comfort, to inspire and to transcendent many years after going home to be with the Father.

2 Corinthians 4:18 says “... we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

I am convinced that the effects of our inner beauty will last forever. Let us co-operate with Him as He conforms us to the image of Christ. It is worth eternity.

*kairos – is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (Wikipedia).