Scripture for Today:  I Peter 3:3-4  “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather, 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.”

In my family there was always a lot of interest in jewelry.  My Father and eldest brother loved working with stones and making beautiful pieces for the women in the family to wear.  Pictured here are a few of those pieces.

I can feel beautiful or I can feel grungy depending on what I wear.  I think that is true for most women.  Who has not lived through changing outfits five times in a morning and still not feeling satisfied!  Whether it is a piece of jewelry, a fresh haircut or a new outfit, what is worn on the outside can make us feel beautiful.

In our verse today, there is no injunction against these beauty aids.  However, there is a beauty spoken of that has nothing to do with what is worn on the outside.  This is a beauty that does not fade and is precious in God’s sight; a gentle and quiet spirit.

A gentle and quiet spirit does not mean that one cannot be loud, boisterous and outgoing.  What it does mean is that one is not anxious or wrought up.  Those who have a gentle and quiet spirit are those whose faith and confidence in the Lord is strong and unshakeable.  It is the absence of worrying or fretting.

Women with these qualities have a calming influence on others.  They are truly beautiful.  May I be one of them today!