Part II: The Display and Connecting of Beauty

(Read Part I: "The Thing About Beauty" first)

Women long to display beauty.

Men long to possess and connect to this beauty.

We need to display or hold beauty.

Which is why I write this piece – part two on “The Thing About Beauty.”  We have a need for human display of beauty upon this earth, and it connects once again with the basic definition of beauty.  Let’s revisit this definition:

  “The quality(s) in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit; a beautiful person or thing, especially a woman; brilliant, extreme.” (Webster’s Dictionary)

Even this definition singles out women specifically.  Women were created to be beautiful, and display the image of God’s beauty to the world, which is why ladies long so much for this.  And, if women truly are an image of HIS beauty, it affects the mind and spirit of others – it draws them to God.  It causes them to pause.  To ask – “What is it about her?”

Most my life I’ve heard this “fact”:  that women represent God’s beauty.  I always wondered where this detail could be found in the Bible, though.  I mean, where does it say, “Women are the beauty of God on this earth.”  As I studied beauty, I began to understand the reality of this statement.  As we established previously, GOD IS BEAUTY…His face and His presence is beautiful.  When God created man and woman, He created them “after His own Image; in His image.”  Adam alone was not enough – he was incomplete without Eve, because the image of God was incomplete.  (Genesis 1-2) What was Adam missing?  Beauty. 

Throughout the Bible, this fact is re-affirmed.  Women are called beautiful – men are called “strong,” even “well-built” and “handsome” and their hard work and valiant qualities are highlighted (see passages on David or Joseph).   But, let’s read some of the verses describing women in the Bible:

• ·      “The daughters of humans were beautiful” (Genesis 6:2).
• ·      Abraham’s wife, Sheri, was “a very beautiful woman” (Genesis 12:11)
• ·      Rebecca, married to Isaac – “She is beautiful” (Genesis 26:7)
• ·      Of Rachel, who’s husband was Jacob, it was said, “Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful” (Genesis 29:16)
• ·      Abigale was described as “an intelligent and beautiful woman.” (1 Samuel 25:3)
• ·      Tamar, daughter of Absalom, “became a beautiful woman.”
• ·      Ester was said to have “a lovely figure and was beautiful” (Ester 2:7)
• ·      “Nowhere in the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters” (Job 42:15)
• ·      And, of course, there’s Song of Songs, “How beautiful you are my darling! Oh, how beautiful!” (1:15); “You are all together beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you” (4:7). 

These passages are only a few selections out of numerous; obviously, there’s something about a woman’s beauty for the scriptures to mention it so frequently.  Now, I pause:  I hear the beat of the hearts and tears of the souls of so many women who have gone on the quest to display beauty and it’s lead only to pain and incompleteness.  BEAUTY AS THE WORLD DEFINES IT IS NOT THE BEAUTY THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT.  Physical beauty is certainly part of it, but physical beauty without a beauty which is deeper holds no power at all.  It doesn’t take the breath of the world away.  It does not last.  Notice, when the passages above talks about the figure of women, it refers to the physical aspect as “lovely,” but when referencing beauty, it references the whole of a woman.  As Song of Song 4:7 puts it, she is “all together beautiful.”  So, for the women who believe they must shape the perfect form to be beautiful, for those girls starving themselves to display “the image,” for the one who hates herself because she sees nothing pleasant looking back at her, please listen up:  you are created to be beautiful!  Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time.”  Everything!  That means you, and your time of beauty shines forth the more you spend moments gazing on God’s beauty; spending time in His presence; absorbing and becoming a part of the song of His beauty all around.  A woman’s physical appearance eventually mirrors of her Source of beauty – for human beauty is fleeting (Proverbs 31), but there’s something about an inner beauty that’s “unfading” (1 Peter 3:4).  In a woman’s desire to display beauty, she must never forget it is GOD who draws out the splendor of His beauty that IS within her. Woman of God: “Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty [because] the splendor I [God] had given you made your beauty perfect” (Ezekiel 16:14).  Perfect beauty that a woman longs to display IS GOD’S BEAUTY.

Now, through the ages, men have sought this beauty, because they have a longing need to possess such beauty.  Once again, this returns back to what he was missing at the beginning: beauty.  For it exalts and inspires his mind and spirit!  Men will conquer nations for true beauty –  however, he will try to conquer woman for false beauty…for the “sexy” worldly version of beauty inspires actions out of lust, not of strength and valor.  But, pure and perfect beauty fulfills that need which God declared man was incomplete without.  There’s the saying, “behind every good man, there’s a good woman…” look back at the scripture passages: the men of note had a beauty by their sides.  There’s fulfillment that comes in connecting with a truly beautiful woman, because if it’s pure beauty, it’s GOD’S BEAUTY THEY’RE CONNECTING WITH and taking possession of.  All of this need connects back to Jesus – for He came to conquer the evil in the world for pure beauty as well!  He came for a Bride!  His church He longs for, and He sacrificed His life for the sake of her beauty – to have her beside Him in heaven one day.  Read Revelations! 

Women, please don’t shrink or withdraw here; please understand that a man’s longing for beauty is a wonderful thing!  For, a man of God is drawn to God within you strongly…he recognizes “unfading beauty.”  I repeat once again, it’s not about being perfect the way the world thinks of perfection!  Women, consider our need for man’s strength and provision – do you not think that it is intimidating to him?  Do you not think he fears failure and falling short?  But, a woman of God realizes that true strength isn’t about being perfect, but about going to God first and having His heart; just as a man of God recognizes that about true beauty.  After all, the church is incomplete and imperfect, but through GOD it becomes a reflection of PURE BEAUTY.

Ultimately, displaying beauty is vital for the world; and it is vital for all of humanity to redefine beauty and recognize the presence of true Beauty.  This is why women need to display beauty, and men need to have it as a part of their lives – it completes the image of God!

This completion, under God’s covenant, is a whole-other thing of beauty.

© Krinda Joy, August 2011