Inner Beauty is Always in Style

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30 NKJ

In this day and age, there seems to be so much more emphasis placed upon maintaining a youthful appearance. I am part of the "Baby Boomer Generation" and we are known for not going peacefully along any pathway that has been forged prior to our arrival upon the stage of life.

We are all growing older and, like it or not, we "Boomers" are aging as well. It seems that all of the skin care and cosmetic companies are catering to our aging bodies and mass producing every product they can imagine to create the idea that we will not grow old. Yet, we are still aging, just as all those who have gone before us. We can paint our faces and use the products to help slow the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but beneath all that product, those fine lines and wrinkles are still there and growing deeper every day.

The reality is found in the scripture above. Charm or beauty is passing. It is fleeting, no matter how much cream or lotion or potion we rub on it, it is still fleeting and temporary.

So what is there about us that is truly lasting in beauty? It is our inner beauty, our strength that is found only in the fear of the Lord. This fear is not the "afraid" kind of fear, but the "reverence" kind of fear. Dictionary.com defines reverence this way: "a feeling or attitude of deep respect, tinged with awe . . ." I like that definition because it not only defines the word "reverence" but it also defines what constitutes true beauty. An attitude is at the basis of beauty. Maintaining a right attitude affords an inner beauty that shines through. It shines through all the problems and difficulties of life, it shines through all the crows feet around our eyes and it shines through all the wrinkles and sagging skin.

It is possible to maintain an inner beauty even as we grow older, simply by fearing the Lord, by reverencing Him.

I've noticed a lot of people as they age. I always enjoy observing older women who still have a twinkle in their eye, a little blush on their cheeks and some lipstick on their smiling lips. That tells me that life is worth living, even though we age, even though we face difficulties, even though we no longer possess a lithe body.

To fear the Lord, to respect Him and to be in awe of Him are the inner garments of beauty that will never go out fashion.

Source: Proverbs 31:30