GOD DOES A GOOD JOB
Your beauty should reside, not in outward adornment--the braiding of the hair, or jewellry, or dress--but in the inmost centre of your being, with its imperishable ornament, a gentle, quiet spirit, which is of high value in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:3, 4, N.E.B.
A friend once introduced me to a young woman with the following request: "I'd like you to meet Julia; will you please explain to her why your church discourages the wearing of jewelry?" It wasn't exactly the topic I would have chosen as a way of getting acquainted or of introducing her to my church! But the request had been made, and she seemed eager to know.
So we spoke of today's text and of the deeper issues Peter had in mind when he wrote it. It seems true that Satan is always seeking to destroy our self-worth. Every time we follow his path, we end up feeling less valuable, less lovely, less sure of our inner worth and true esteem in the eyes of others. Feeling so empty on the inside, we try to compensate by hanging decorations on the outside.
I suggested, however, that Christ's dealings with us are designed to restore and build our true sense of worth and dignity. To rest in His accepting love, to walk in His wise paths, to enjoy His kind of quality relationships, and to know the grand destiny He has for us all--these lead to a rebirth of true inner worth.
"And so," I concluded, "for a Christian to still be hanging the shiny little decorations on the outside would be to advertise that Christ hasn't done a very good job on the inside. Christ deserves better credit than that. He does a good job of restoring our self-esteem."
She nodded in understanding. "Do you know what my job is? I'm the representative for a leading costume jewelry company. My job includes teaching sales personnel how to sell jewelry. And that is exactly our pitch. Jewelry helps an insecure woman feel better about herself."
The Lord says, "You are my witnesses'' (Isa. 43:10, R.S.V.). It is our privilege to portray in the most attractive light the quality of the work that our Father does as a skilled craftsman of the soul. No longer do we feel a need to resort to baubles, bangles, and beads to draw people's attention away from the gaping inner holes and frayed edges of the soul.
Your beauty should reside, not in outward adornment--the braiding of the hair, or jewellry, or dress--but in the inmost centre of your being, with its imperishable ornament, a gentle, quiet spirit, which is of high value in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:3, 4, N.E.B.
A friend once introduced me to a young woman with the following request: "I'd like you to meet Julia; will you please explain to her why your church discourages the wearing of jewelry?" It wasn't exactly the topic I would have chosen as a way of getting acquainted or of introducing her to my church! But the request had been made, and she seemed eager to know.
So we spoke of today's text and of the deeper issues Peter had in mind when he wrote it. It seems true that Satan is always seeking to destroy our self-worth. Every time we follow his path, we end up feeling less valuable, less lovely, less sure of our inner worth and true esteem in the eyes of others. Feeling so empty on the inside, we try to compensate by hanging decorations on the outside.
I suggested, however, that Christ's dealings with us are designed to restore and build our true sense of worth and dignity. To rest in His accepting love, to walk in His wise paths, to enjoy His kind of quality relationships, and to know the grand destiny He has for us all--these lead to a rebirth of true inner worth.
"And so," I concluded, "for a Christian to still be hanging the shiny little decorations on the outside would be to advertise that Christ hasn't done a very good job on the inside. Christ deserves better credit than that. He does a good job of restoring our self-esteem."
She nodded in understanding. "Do you know what my job is? I'm the representative for a leading costume jewelry company. My job includes teaching sales personnel how to sell jewelry. And that is exactly our pitch. Jewelry helps an insecure woman feel better about herself."
The Lord says, "You are my witnesses'' (Isa. 43:10, R.S.V.). It is our privilege to portray in the most attractive light the quality of the work that our Father does as a skilled craftsman of the soul. No longer do we feel a need to resort to baubles, bangles, and beads to draw people's attention away from the gaping inner holes and frayed edges of the soul.
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