I had a book signing for my book, A Place of Grace for Moms Littles. At the start of the event, an older man walked up to me and proclaimed point blank, “Aren’t you beautiful! Praise God, he made you that way!” It was honestly one of the nicest things I had heard in a while, granted one of the most awkward moments. His reminder was refreshing in the aftermath as it sank down deep into the crevices of my heart.
God created me beautiful as he did you. Our external beauty is something we can be momentarily grateful for, but our eternal beauty lies within the conditions of our hearts, and we can be forever grateful for the seeds of God’s holy fruit growing ripe in us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; Christ be glorified in me.
Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Some Bible translations substitute the word, “fleeting” with the word “vain.” The things of this world will quickly pass away. Our hair will turn silver (which I’ve always thought of as kinder way to say, “gray.”) Our worry lines will grow more prominent. Our breasts will get saggy (disturbing, I know.) But the bottom line is that in time our beauty will fade. Our charm that can be attributed to status in the workplace, or achievements will be short-lived. The only place where we can safely deposit our money is in the bank of The Fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Knowledge of the Holy One is the only place to acquire true understanding. And these are not tangible things or places, but residence of the Spirit, where we invest our hearts.
Proverbs 8:13 says, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” I have always thought of “The Fear of the Lord” as holding the Lord’s opinion in the highest of regards, which it certainly is. But here, the Bible says “The Fear of the Lord” is to hate evil—anything not of or from God. Pride is certainly not from God. But humility is.
To fear the Lord is to walk humbly with God, holding tight to his commandments, his Word, and his will. This is the path to life. Proverbs 14:26 says, “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.” Fearing the Lord gives us security and wisdom that surpasses earthly knowledge. It is a fountain of life that springs up inside of us, quenching our lives and blessing our children.
Anything we say that is warped or depraved of God’s goodness, love, and perfect light is considered “perverse” in the Lord’s sight. This includes arrogance, negativity, nagging, and complaining. We must strive to live and speak humbly, submitting to God our words as well as our hearts.
The Lord does not look at outward appearances (achievement, status, wealth, or fame). He examines our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). We all know the story of David the Shepherd boy who was chosen by God to become King over Israel because of his heart which reflected God’s own. Let’s become women after God’s own heart by dying to ourselves daily, taking up our crosses, being the best moms that we can be, and following after Jesus with mindsets of positivity. Fervently, adamantly, persistently, and consistently, let’s live life with the mentality of Christ, striving to reflect his image and glory in all that we do.
Thank you for these words of wisdom, which minister to my heart today.