A Woman's True Beauty

Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 2:9-10

I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)

These words are written for women. As Christians in Ephesus gathered to worship, there was a temptation for women to focus on the wrong thing. On what? Physical beauty. Christian women in Ephesus felt pressure to have elaborate hairstyles and gold jewelry and expensive clothes.

Some things haven’t changed in the past 2,000 years, have they? Women still feel so much pressure to be beautiful. Unfortunately, that emphasis on physical beauty continues to enter the Christian Church.

Thankfully, God gives Christian women a totally different perspective on beauty. To God, where does true beauty come from? Not from hair or clothes or jewelry. Not from height or weight or shape. True beauty comes from a heart of faith that adorns itself with good deeds. That’s true beauty in God’s eyes.

Think of these women from the Bible: Elizabeth, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha, Lois, Eunice, Lydia… The New Testament speaks highly of every one of them. Do you know what the Bible doesn’t say anything about? Their physical appearance. Not one word is written about the physical appearance of any of those women. Do you know what made them stand out? Their humble faith in Jesus.

That’s what makes a woman beautiful in God’s eyes. Doesn’t that take the pressure off?

It’s not always wrong for a woman to wear earrings or to put on fancy clothes. It’s the motivation that matters. But God wants every Christian woman to realize something important: To God, you are just as beautiful right now as you were on your wedding day. Maybe you’re wearing sweatpants. Maybe your face is wrinkled, and your hair is gray. To God, you are just as beautiful right now as at your senior prom. Because true beauty doesn’t come from your appearance. It comes from your heart of faith in Jesus.

Dear Christian sister, the world may judge you by your looks, but God doesn’t. It’s God’s opinion that matters! Clothe yourself with decency and propriety. Adorn yourself with the good deeds that come from a heart of faith. No one is more beautiful that what Jesus has already made you.

Dear God, Christian women feel a tremendous pressure to be beautiful. Remind every Christian sister how beautiful they are in your eyes through Jesus, and lead them to adorn themselves with the good works that come from hearts of faith. To your glory, amen.

Pastor Nathan