Pretty Woman

A good friend this week pointed me towards some verses in I Peter that have been on my mind ever since. 

I Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as the braiding of hair and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

My week of practicing the fruits of the spirit has been trying but exhilarating.  It most certainly pushed me to rely on the Lord in a very constant way. Don’t be intimidated, I didn’t do the best of jobs. But it was refreshing to find such dependence on the Lord. 

I’m not giving up the fruits; my mangoes and pineapples and grapes and oranges are all staying in my fruit basket as best as I can make them fit.  But this week I’m caught with these verses from I Peter in my mind. I truly and completely desire to be a strong woman of the Lord, one like my best friend and Mom always modeled for me.  A gentle and quiet spirit. Someone who loves the Father above all else and embraces being His daughter.  Someone who is forgiving, doesn’t gossip, practices intentionality and pours kindness onto everyone she meets.  
Often as women we find our beauty in our physical attributes, our great sense of style, our name brand clothing or the classy way we apply makeup.  But this week I’ve just been longing to desire to gush that kindness and gentle spirit on those around me. I pray that God will change my desires from that of worldly beauty to a spirit wholly pleasing to my King.  I know the Most High treasures me and it isn’t even enough to present Him with my stumbling gentle spirit, but I want above all else to behave in a manner that my Abba finds ‘great worth’ in.