The Proverbs 31 woman made tapestry for herself. Her clothing was made with fine linen and purple (very expensive material back in her day). Some people will try and tell you that women are more vain today than they used to be. But women have always cared about their appearance and we always will. Whether it’s putting on beautiful clothing or doing something new with our hair, it’s just a way of saying, “I enjoy being a girl”. There seems to be some misconception too, that God is against women that “adorn themselves” but everything that the Proverbs 31 woman did was praised by Him (primping too) and precisely placed in His word! The problem is not that God doesn’t appreciate beauty in women, it’s that the world doesn’t appreciate the divine beauty in every detail of femininity. Truthfully, a woman who takes time to care about the way she looks is celebrating her femininity. She is saying “I’m happy about being a woman”.
God never intended that a woman’s body be worshipped but He did intend that man take notice. He never intended that women hate themselves because they don’t fit into the world’s image of beauty. He intended that we have an understanding of what feminine beauty is. Femininity is and will always be beautiful by what God desired to see when He looked our way. What the world tries to push on women isn’t beauty at all. It’s a false sense of identity to keep us feeling inadequate so that we remain vulnerable to all sorts of prey. The definition of beauty is not “perfect form” nor is it “perfectly youthful”. The definition of beauty is “pleasing to the eye” and yes, beauty is still in the eyes of the beholder. Sometimes as women, we must ask the question,"whose eyes are beholding me and who is the beholder that I must impress?"
So what does God see when He beholds the beauty of femininity? He sees the softness and the gentleness that can bring “quiet” to even the noisiest atmosphere just by entering it. He sees the conceiver and bearer of life. Whether it’s nursing a baby or looking after an elderly parent - no one has the ability to sustain life like a woman. He sees a comforter and nurturer and everything else that goes along with being someone’s daughter, mother, aunt, sister or wife. To God, beauty is in our countenance and it’s in our response. It’s in our eyes and it’s in our smile. Don’t believe that one’s countenance and smile can make you beautiful? Then take the time to visit a nursing home soon where I’m sure you will find many ninety year old women who are absolutely beautiful.
So fix it, curl it, or straighten it... Buy it, wear it, and feel good about it! Just know that what makes you beautiful is deeper than anything that you can put on or take off. The Proverbs 31 woman made herself some beautiful clothes. She obviously knew how to look good but it was her feminine design that made her all together beautiful. Fixing up the outside is never a bad thing but understanding the beauty underneath the skin of femininity is a very good thing. Log on next week for the continued study of Woman... God's Good Thing.
Loving U Like a Sister,
Regina
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