Precious

"And let not your adornments be merely external-- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."  ~ 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NASB)

I do not know about you other ladies, but this verse means a lot to me.  Every girl wants to be beautiful, to be told she is beautiful, to know she is beautiful.  Even the roughest tom-boy nurtures that desire to be told she is pretty-- and be able to believe it.  

Trust me.  I would know.

But what about that which is precious?

I confess, I long for these things: for beauty of form and face.  But how long does it last?  What happens when the delicate petals of youth fade and all that is left are the dry thorns and leaves?

What does the hidden person of your heart look like?  To tell the truth, I am afraid to look into that mirror.  The beauty I have sought is of this world, I know. 

A gentle and quiet spirit?  GENTLE AND QUIET?!!??  OF COURSE I AM GENTLE AND QUIET!!!!  Oh, how loud and boisterous we women can be!  Well, at least I can be.  And, personally, I have never once looked at another woman, much less myself, who is being particularly loud and boisterous and thought, "My, how precious she is!" 

Here, read this excerpt from So Much More by the Botkin sisters:

"We hear of 'free' spirits, fiery spirits, fiercely independent spirits, fighting spirits, proud spirits, revolutionary spirits, and just plain 'spiritedness' paraded as the essential virtues for the ideal woman.  Our culture views a woman with a gentle and quiet spirit as a pushover... A quiet and gentle spirit is not only imperishable; it is precious in the sight of God.  It's also one of the hardest qualities to cultivate.  Far from a sign of weakness, a gentle and quiet spirit is the sign of a woman who is strong in faith, mind, and character."

To be precious is to be "of great price or value; costly" and "beloved; dear". 

Biblical Womanhood is a precious thing, something we maidens have been learning alongside our family.  It is an important role that is ridiculed and mocked in this fallen world and, sadly, even in the church.  But, to God it is precious!  And God has been patiently teaching me it is far better to be considered beautiful and precious to Him, than to be thought "gorgeous" by those around me.

Yes, I will always dress my best and seek to make myself presentable, pleasing to my father and honoring to my Lord, but my focus will be on a higher beauty that will never dim.

Is the beauty you seek imperishable, or will it fade and leave you empty?  We maidens have chosen to follow after that which God considers precious.

Have you?

Blessings,
Catlia