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Don’t pay too much attention to outward appearance

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment […] 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, NIV)

People like to look good. Women especially are known to pay a lot of attention to their appearance. There is nothing wrong with looking decent and dressing nicely. By doing so, you take care of the body God has given you. But Peter urges us to keep the right balance. For just as the Lord God does not look at our appearance but at our heart, we too should not focus our attention on jewelry, expensive clothing or a slim figure, but on inner beauty. That is much more precious to God and, moreover, will never fade.

Developing inner beauty takes time. So does discovering and appreciating inner beauty. You won't score with it on social media or in fleeting encounters. But in deep, long-term relationships like marriage or a good friendship, your character comes to light and turns out to be much more important than attractive looks.

We are quick to judge someone by what we see. But the Bible encourages us to look beyond the visible and focus on the heart; both in ourselves and in the people we meet.

What qualities do you find important in yourself, in friends and in your (future) husband or wife?