Of Great Worth to the Lord
By: Michelle Lazurek
“Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 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. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves.” 1 Peter 3:1-5 (NIV)
Ever since I was a teen, I loved makeup. I spent hours trying on different foundations and experimenting with blush and lipstick. I wore makeup everywhere, from school to work, anywhere where I was in the public eye. However, a few years after I yielded my life to the Lord at the age of 18, the Lord spoke to me. “I love you just the way you are,” he said tenderly to me. At that moment, I realized that the Lord loved me and thought I was naturally beautiful. However, I felt less of myself.
I used makeup to cover imperfections like blemishes, scars, or dark circles. I wore makeup in public because I didn't think my face was worth admiring. The Lord reminded me of my great worth, but I didn’t believe him. He loved me for who I was, warts and all. But I didn’t love myself in the same way he loved me. After that day, I stopped wearing makeup every day and out in public. To this day, I only wear makeup to church on Sundays.
This passage in 1 Peter 3 tells us of the role wives should have in their marriage. It instructs them to submit to their husbands and allow their quiet and gentle spirits to be what men consider beautiful. As women, we use outer beauty to determine our worth. A woman's inner beauty and how she treats others determine how people will see her, whether she is beautiful or not. No amount of gold jewelry or makeup will make up for an ugly inner spirit.
As women, we like to make ourselves look pretty. Society makes us feel inferior if we don't wear the right makeup or clothes. Our worth is based on our outer appearance. This is especially true for more mature women. Women who are getting older are deemed ugly because they have wrinkles, or their hair turns gray. Yet, God values all of this. Our faces wrinkle, and our hair turns gray as part of the natural aging process. Yet, throughout Scripture, God looks at the heart. It is what is in our hearts that makes us beautiful and how we treat others. In this passage, he emphasizes that a woman's inner beauty makes her beautiful.
This passage refers to the women of the past. The women who put their hope in God used their inner beauty and actions of submission and love for others to allow them to be deemed beautiful. When we put our hope in God, we can use our quiet and gentle spirits to make ourselves attractive. This is because we no longer must rule our own lives. Instead, we can trust the one who is in control of everything. We can put our hope in the God who truly controls every aspect of our lives. We no longer must prove our worth through outward appearance. Instead, we can rely on the beauty of a servant's heart to adorn our bodies.
Do you, as a woman, use makeup or jewelry to make yourself beautiful? Do you think you are naturally gorgeous, or do you need the help of makeup and other accessories to make yourself look beautiful? Do you rely on society to validate your worth? Or do you live daily knowing that God validates your worth and beauty simply because you are his daughter?
Father, help us find our worth in you. Help us know that no amount of makeup or accessories will enhance our beauty. However, people deem us beautiful based on our inner beauty, which is a servant and caring heart, and how we treat others. Let us not rely on makeup or other beauty products to tell us we are beautiful. Please help us know that our true worth comes only from our inheritance as your daughter. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Marco_Piunti
Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise
How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
Originally published Saturday, 24 May 2025.
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