Beauty in the Works
A while back, I was thinking to myself- on what does a young woman’s true beauty depend? I know what G-d says about godly beauty according to 1 Timothy 2:9, and so it obviously ultimately depends on Him, but that was talking more of adornment, as in how one should dress themselves.
“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” -1 Timothy 2: 9-10
I saw (or rather, G-d showed me!) that godly beauty is not passive; but rather a condition of the heart that quietly, diligently expresses itself through actions. I love this! In the above verse, four aspects of a woman’s true beauty were listed- modesty, shamefacedness, sobriety, and good works. Translated from Greek, you get the following four:
- Modesty: kosmios, which comes from kosmos, the same exact word that is used for adorning. A woman’s modest apparel is put in proper order, or orderly. Now honestly, I am one who could care less what I wear, just so long as its feminine and modest. But, when my parents saw me wearing a certain denim skirt more or less each week, they decided it was time for me to take a break from my denim skirt, and wear something else- not necessarily that the clothing choice was wrong; it was a flowy skirt, right? But, it was not feminine, and could appear to be messy. That’s why my Marmee and Daddy addressed this. Don’t get me wrong- there will be those messy days- I get them a lot, believe me ;) But, a godly woman’s spirit is reflected in her outward clothing and appearance.
- Shamefacedness: aidos. It describes an attitude of downcast eyes, or bashfulness. It describes not only a woman’s posture towards men, but also a person’s awe or godly fear of our G-d. A godly woman’s spirit is reflected in her eyes.
- Sobriety: sophrosune, meaning, soundness of mind. Sanity and self-control. I’ve never been one to wear “my heart on my sleeve,” but spill in the company of those I trust… such as my Marmee, or a select few; and it’s easy for me to get impatient… but I need to remember to lay it all aside, and concentrate on loving others instead of losing it with them. This comes with giving my heart to Jesus. A godly woman’s spirit is reflected in the controlled expression of her thoughts and emotions.
- Good Works: The Greek word for good is agathos, meaning, benefit. The word for works is ergon, meaning to work, to toil, as an effort or occupation. A godly woman’s spirit is reflected in the way she treats other people and in the way she uses her time and energy.
Altogether, the godly woman I want to be is modest, in attitude, action, and appearance. She, with G-d’s help, keeps her thoughts and emotions and feelings under control; and her life is characterized by acts of love and service.
My friend, Melanie, recently sent me a bookmark, which is truly lovely… on the back of it, is a beautiful quote… about the woman I desire to be, with G-d’s help.
“They say there is a lady in New Haven who is beloved of that Great Being who made and rules the world. They say that He fills her mind with exceeding sweet delight, and that she hardly cares for anything except to meditate on Him. If you present all the world to her, with the richest of its treasures, she disregards it. She is unmindful of any pain or affliction. She has a singular purity in her affections. You could not persuade her to compromise her true Love even if you would give her all the world. She possesses a wonderful sweetness, calmess, and kindness to those around her. She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly. She seems to be always full of joy and pleasure, and no one knows exactly why. She loves to be alone walking in the fields and groves, and seems to have someone invisible always conversing with her.” –Jonathan Edwards on Sara Edwards
A true Proverbs 31 woman... how I pray to be like her each day... through His grace alone.
Thoughts or convictions of your own on modesty/apparel that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them!
resting in Him,
sierra