He hath no form nor comeliness: and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Isaiah 53:2
There are three different beauties spoken of in the Bible. The first one we want to look at is, “Skin-Deep Beauty.” Society places great emphasis on outward appearance. We all sweat, diet, and exercise to remain trim and avoid wrinkles. Cosmetic make-up provides expensive ways to make us appear beautiful. We emphasize skin-deep beauty. Saul filled the bill as an attractive king. His beauty turned out to be only skin deep. He revealed his inner character by disobeying God on two occasions. In I Samuel 15:10, God said, “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Are we guilty of devoting major attention to our outward appearance, that we cover up who we really are.
Secondly, we have “Ugly Beauty.” Society shudders at ugliness. We try to hide the sick and handicapped behind the walls of institutions. On a daily basis we see these people whom society has forsaken, because of their outward appearance. Yet thru the eyes of God we can see the beauty. In Isaiah 53:2, God describes the “Suffering Servant” as physically ugly, but God saw the beauty in his ugliness. He took up our infirmities. Isaiah 53 describes unsurpassed beauty.
Last, we have, “Inner Beauty.” In I Peter 3, Peter writes to wives, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quite spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” He proceeds to describe beautiful inner qualities for husbands, including consideration, respect, sympathy, love, compassion, and humility. True beauty lies in the heart. Do we, as husbands or wives, as parents or children, as employers or employees, radiate that inner beauty to others. Inner beauty comes only from God. Let me challenge you today that you would let others see that inner beauty through your daily life. Let God and his beauty become theirs as well. Inner beauty, his gift to us for others.
Father, Thank you for all the beautiful things you do each day in us. I pray that you might help each of us to realize that the real beauty lies within. Amen.