When we begin to see that physical beauty is the shadow, and righteousness the reality, it can be devastating. Although we know that as we age our physical beauty will diminish, we are much more successful at making ourselves physically attractive than we are at becoming righteous.
God created beauty. It is good. He also created us to desire beauty: beauty around us and beauty within us. Look around and stand in awe of the sunrise, the stream, the face of your mother. He did not make things only to function well, he adorned creation with splendor.
When my adorning comes from my physical appearance it puts me on display and asks people to admire me. It is so natural for me to adorn myself and to promote myself. It is the way that seems right, but leads to death.
But a gentle and quiet spirit and following Sarah’s example of submission [...]
