A Beautiful Woman
By
Gene Taylor
Recently, People Magazine published its annual issue which
contained a list of "The Fifty Most Beautiful People in the
World." A picture of Julia Roberts, a talented and
attractive movie star, graced the cover. The editors
considered her to be the most beautiful person in the world
today.
Who is the world's most beautiful woman? She is not a movie
star. She does not live in Hollywood. She has never been in
a beauty contest. She may be living in your city and, for
the most part, go unnoticed as a person. We can learn of
her by reading and studying 1 Peter 3:1-6. Let us read and
see what a truly beautiful woman is like.
She is a
Christian.
The apostle Peter wrote this epistle to Christians (1 Pet.
1:1-2). She is included in it.
She is a
godly person.
Peter speaks of her as being like "the holy women" of
former times.
As one who is married, she is
in subjection to
her husband. Since this is a command from God (Eph. 5:22),
she believes that a woman gets her greatest happiness and
fulfillment in submitting entirely to the will of God.
She is characterized by
chaste behavior.
Such behavior properly influences others. She realizes she
must be a "light" in the world (Matt. 5:14-16), especially
to her family. The conduct of the modern, worldly woman
would never lead her husband or anyone else to Christ.
Her adornment is not outward but spiritual. She is not
obsessed with carnal attractiveness. She does not prize
what the Proverbist calls "passing beauty" (Prov. 31:30).
Rather, she esteems "the beauty of holiness" (Psa. 29:2).
Her beauty is that of "the hidden person of the heart." She
has "the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet
spirit." Peter says that such a beauty is "very precious in
the sight of God." It should also be precious to us.
She is
meek and humble -- gentle and quiet.
She is not as the daughters of Zion were in Isaiah's time.
Isaiah writes of them in Isaiah 3:16-26: "Moreover the Lord
says: 'Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk
with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and
mincing as they go, making a jingling with their feet,
Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab the crown of the
head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will uncover
their secret parts.' In that day the Lord will take away
the finery: the jingling anklets, the scarves, and the
crescents; The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; The
headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; the per-
fume boxes, the charms, and the rings; the nose jewels, the
festal apparel, and the mantles; the outer garments, the
purses, and the mirrors; the fine linen, the turbans, and
the robes. And so it shall be: instead of a sweet smell
there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead
of well-set hair, baldness; instead of a rich robe, a
girding of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. Your
men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war.
Her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate
shall sit on the ground."
Rather than being like these women, the one Peter describes
is a woman whose spirit is not only meek but also quiet."
She is neither a nag nor a complainer.
Conclusion:
What a wonderful woman Peter describes in this text. What
an earnest, spiritual, attractive woman she is. She is a
true wife and a godly Christian. She has a remarkable,
pervading influence for good.
Many women have been molded into such beauty by God's word.
It presents several to us: Mary, mother of Jesus (Luke
2:30); Phoebe (Rom. 16:1-2); Priscilla, wife of Aquila
(Rom. 16:3-4); and Lois, grandmother of Timothy, and
Eunice, his mother (2 Tim. 1:5).
Who is the most beautiful woman in the world? She is the
godly woman who is living her life by the word of
God.