Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The Beauty of A Gentle and Quiet Spirit…

 

There is a saying that goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder”. 

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But what if my eyes do not behold beauty when I look in the mirror?

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What woman, young or old, hasn’t wondered this about herself?  She looks into the mirror, but isn’t satisfied with the reflection gazing back.

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I have five remarkable daughters.  Absolutely beautiful daughters.  And of course I think they are lovely in appearance, in figure and face.  But the beauty that shines most clearly to me, is the beauty of their spirits.  They are each one different in personality, in strengths and weaknesses.

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But the Holy Spirit lives in each one of them.  And I can see them growing in beauty, day by day, as He works in their hearts transforming them from the inside out.

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But of course they don’t have their mother’s perspective!  And so they are not usually aware of many of the ways they are changing.  Nor do they see themselves with my eyes; they don’t know they are beautiful.

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Last night at bedtime, one of my daughters shared with me that when she looks into the mirror, she is more than disappointed with what she sees.  Instead of seeing the shining beauty of that generous, kind, sweet and loving spirit, she sees freckles, and curly hair that wants to make itself frizzy in the summer heat and moisture and refuses to be tamed by comb or conditioner. And as I listen to her talking, sharing her disappointment with me, I can think of how many times I have felt the same thing about myself.

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And the words God brings to my mind are from His Word.  The best words I know.  And I tell her, and I tell myself, those precious words that are meant for both of us, from 1 Peter 3:4

 “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—  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.”

 

No matter whether you are a young lady, or a woman, you may at sometime or another be tempted to feel a sense of disappointment or discontentment with your outward appearance. 

Remember, the beauty you see in the mirror is only outward.

It is perishable.

But that beauty inside of you!

It is imperishable!  It is true beauty! 

Beauty that your Father sees, and He lets others see in you, as well.

I see it.  Smile

8 comments:

  1. Oh, Kelly. I hear you! My three girls challenge me on how to see myself! The grace that flows over and around us I just pray they can take to their hearts and KNOW they are precious and loved.

    On another note, Catie was looking over my shoulder the other day and said, "Luke's sisters are SO PRETTY!" Incidentally she's the only non-redhead of my three girls.
    :)

    Thanks for such an encouraging post!
    ~april

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  2. Thank you, April!
    I pray the same thing you are when it comes to our kids knowing the depth of our love for them, and especially the perfect love God has for them.
    Very sweet of Catie!
    Have a great day!

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  3. Very true. I have 3 girls (9,7,5) and the oldest is starting to look at herself differently and I am ever-trying to remind her that God created her perfectly...eye color, hair, even down the smallest beauty mark. We all need reminded at some time I suspect. :o)

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  4. You're right, Larissa! :)

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  5. I'm sorry!

    Oh, I love you, Sharron!

    xoxo

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  6. So helpful and true:-) Thanks! How do you keep the balance between working to look lovely on the outside, and remembering that real, lasting beauty is on the inside? I find myself swinging toward not caring enough how I look, after many years of being waaay to concerned with my appearance. Its hard to strike a wise balance, at least for me:-) Want to get my thinking straight so that I can teach my daughters, and model it to them.

    Your girls are lovely, inside and out! And you can see their sweet spirits in their smiles and expressions. What a blessing they must be:-)

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  7. Sandy,
    Thank you for your kind words about the girls!
    It's interesting how I have a different response to your question this morning, than I did last night! :) I think it's just like so many other things in our lives... our ability to balance things rightly will ebb and flow. Sometimes we will feel no great conflict, and other times, we realize we need God to show us (and He does!) when our focus is too much on the external.
    At this point in life, I tend to be like you. :) But I do try to make an effort to at least be presentable when I go places. In part so I don't embarrass my family (!) and also because I feel like I am a representative of the King. He takes such good care of me, and I suppose I think that by taking modest care of my appearance, it is part of how I reflect my gratitude to Him and love for Him to others, whether they realize this consciously or not.

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