In this age, outer beauty has become a tricky issue. We are surrounded by images of beauty every day, thanks to social media, billboards, and magazines. It seems that everyone is chasing this elusive idea of beauty, and many people feel preoccupied and oppressed by it. However, it’s essential to recognize that beauty in and of itself is not wrong. Our God is the creator of beauty, and he has created beauty to draw us to him. It’s up to us to ensure that our focus is on the right things.
As Christians, we understand that it’s the heart that matters most. Peter and Paul offer guidance in the New Testament on how our outward appearance should convey where our hope lies. As Christians who have surrendered to the Lord, does how we present ourselves to the world reflect that our hope is rooted in Jesus and his good work on our behalf? Or are we chasing after the approval of others, using our appearance to try and prove our worth to the world?
We must recognize that our focus should always be on Christ. We were designed to fix our eyes on him, not on our appearance, beauty, or ability. These things cannot bear the burden of being the source of our hope. Rather than chasing after outward beauty, let us fix our gaze on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith.
It’s important to remember that true beauty comes from within. As Jen Oshman explains in her book, “Cultural Counterfeits: Confronting 5 Empty Promises of Our Age and How We Were Made for So Much More,” we need to reject the idols of our age, find real hope in Jesus, and embrace our identity in Christ.
As Christians, we must ensure that our hearts are in the right place. Our focus should always be on Christ, and we should strive to live our lives in a way that conveys where our hope lies. By doing so, we can rise above the shallow preoccupations of the world and find true peace and joy in Christ.
