authentic beauty

Here at authbeau, I've been posting a lot on how to make ourselves more outwardly lovely (this is always a fun topic for us girls!); however, I'd like to tell you what I've observed about beauty, and what creates an authentic and radiant beauty that cannot be copied or falsified.

I've done a good bit of traveling in my 20 yrs. of life across the States, from the beaches of FL to coast of OR (even to the U.S. territory of Guam!), and I've seen many a pretty girls. In our day and age, it's not hard to make yourself attractive, as we have every beautifying resource available to us (make-up, fitness programs, salons, and even plastic surgery). Just about anyone can be made to look good according to our pop-cultural standards. Is this all there is? What makes you stand out from every other pretty girl out there?

There is a girl who smiles with no hint of pain or regret in her eyes. She shines with a pure radiance. Kindess, strength, and dignity are her clothing. She is caring and rarely thinks of herself, yet her appearance and demeanor is worthy of a palace. She does not stoop to putting on false heirs, but is genuine (real) and carries herself with a graceful humility. She is always ready with a strengthened hand to help, and offers it freely, expecting nothing in return. Her ear is ready to listen, and she is slow to speak; though when she does, expect not empty flattery or false sympathy. For out of sincerity she speaks in wisdom, truth, and love. She is not afraid to give a rebuke, though her rebuke is not to destroy, but is spoken with tender love and good faith; it is to strengthen. She serves her loved ones with joy, even if unrecognized for her deeds.

"See the works of her hands," says the onlooker. But she does not these deeds for her own righteousness' sake, for she knows that even her best is but as filthy rags before He that is truly righteous. So she does these things out of her love and her gratitude, for it is but by being washed in the very blood of He that she is counted as pure. Her heart beats wildly for Him, in whom she meets in a secret place, where He shares with her the plans that He has for her. She prays, "Take delight in me, Beloved, and behold the maidservant of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy Word."

There is nothing more attractive in a girl than one who is radiating with God's love and truth. This comes not merely by being redeemed, but by spending time Him. Henry Drummond wrote,

"Put a piece of iron in the presence of an electrified body, and that piece of iron for a time becomes electrified. It is charged into a temporary magnet in the mere presence of a permanent magnet, and as long as you leave the two side by side, they are both magnets alike. Remain side by side with Him... and you, too, will become a permanent magnet... and like Him you will draw all men to you."

"Contemplate the love of Christ, and you will love. Stand before that mirror, reflect Christ's character and you will be changed into the same image... There is no other way... you can only look at that lovely object, and fall in love with it and grow into likeness to it."

-From the book, The Greatest Thing in the World




With Love,

Abigail