UNFADING BEAUTY

Passage: 1 Peter 3:1-7

Key verse: 4

NIV

3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves(A) to your own husbands(B) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over(C) without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.(D) 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self,(E) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.(F) 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God(G) used to adorn themselves.(H) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.(I) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

7 Husbands,(J) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Wives and Husbands

3 Likewise, wives, (A)be subject to your own husbands, so that (B)even if some do not obey the word, (C)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your (D)respectful and pure conduct. 3 (E)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be (F)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (G)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and (H)do not fear anything that is frightening.

7 Likewise, (I)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker (J)vessel, since they are heirs with you[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Peter 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

What is beauty? The world’s standard is based on outward physical traits: appearance, wearing fine clothes, and following the latest trends. We ourselves often focus on these things. But how does God define beauty?

In God’s sight, beauty comes from who she is from within. It is not from fancy jewelry or fashion or hair, but from purity and a fear of the Lord. An example is a wife, submissive to her husband. She shows him respect, and while he may be an unbeliever, because of her behavior, without words, she can win her husband over. True and unfading beauty is from within, a quiet and gentle spirit that does not give into fear (think of Sarah, Mary, Esther, and Deborah in the Bible). This is the image of Christ. The more we look like him, the more beautiful we become.

Husbands ought to be considerate of their wives and treat them with respect. May we not conform to the world’s standards of beauty but seek to bear the beauty that is of great worth to God.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for placing so much value on outward appearance alone. Allow me to reflect true beauty.

One Word: Inner beauty that is of great worth in God’s sight