Let me tell you about a truly beautiful woman that captured my heart. This woman was a victim to great tragedy. She had been shot. She was shot in the face, at close range, by the man she loved. Miraculously she survived the shooting, but she was so disfigured by the violence of the gunshot that she wore a veil covering her entire face. In an interview she was asked about whether she could forgive the man that shot her and she said “Yes, I forgive him.” As I listened to her speak, I felt like I was listening to Jesus speak. What an incredible testimony of love and forgiveness!

We are conditioned by society to look for external beauty. The ads portray the “beautiful women” as being the ones that have porcelain skin, no wrinkles, stylish hair, perfect features, flawless make-up, thin bodies, designer clothes…but is that really the image of the beautiful woman? Contrast this “picture perfect” model to the poor woman who has now concealed her face behind a veil to hide the tragedy committed against her. Is the physically disfigured woman beautiful? Is the “picture perfect” model beautiful?

Without knowing a woman’s character we can’t really discern whether she is truly beautiful because true beauty has little to do with what we see with our eyes.

“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.” 1 Peter 3: 3-4

Holy Lord, help us to become more beautiful in Your eyes by being merciful, forgiving, generous and kind.   Help us to lift one another up to become the people you want us to be.

Friends of Jesus, let’s look beyond the superficial, discovering that true beauty is a matter of God’s grace transforming us into His image.

Let us respond to God’s grace like God’s blessed woman the Virgin Mary did:  “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word…”  Luke 1:38