Grace Makes Beautiful

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"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

Bible Reading

1 PETER 3:1-6

Devotional

Peter says this to Christian wives whose husbands resisted the grace of God. "Don't preach to them," he advises. "Just show grace by your behavior." Their husbands had heard the word of grace. Now they had to see the work of grace.

God's grace does not only flow through us, it also does its work in us. God's grace gives people an inner beauty. Frequently people who have opposed the gospel will surrender to it when they see the effects of grace in a beautiful person.

Today we are all exposed to many lies about beauty. We must pray especially that our daughters and sons won't believe the lies. May God's grace teach them to cultivate the inner beauty that is imperishable. Grace makes beautiful. And the beauty of grace has more power than words.

Beauty conquers by its own power. It does not have to scream for attention. Beauty is never loud.

Some of our witnessing to the grace of God must be verbal and, if not loud, at least articulate and unmistakable. But most of our witness should be unintentional. And it will have a winning power of its own, for beauty conquers people quietly, modestly, irresistibly.

But it does not always work that way. There are women of great inner beauty who do not actually win those whom they love to Christ. And there are some quietly beautiful Christian congregations whose winning power seems to be nil.

But the Bible says that this inner beauty is precious in the sight of God. God looks at these people. God sees what his grace has done and rejoices in it. Of these people he says, just as he once said of creation, "That's beautiful." And God determines to keep these jewels forever.

REFLECTION

Pray along the lines suggested in today's reading.

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Let our hearts yearn and reach for Grace which makes beautiful. Let our hearts be intertwined in the will of our Savior and be beautiful on the inside with less care of what we look like on the outside. Lets pray about these things. Grace&Peace.