Having raised three daughters, I confess, I have seen my share of chick flicks. One that comes to mind lately is Shallow Hal. It is a comedy about a man who only sees the outward beauty of a woman until he meets Tony Robbins, a self-help guru who hypnotizes him, and now he sees women for their inner beauty.
He usually dates gorgeous women who are superficial and self-centered. Now because of the spell, these women appear hideous. He falls in love with an overweight woman who is a sweet, caring, intelligent person. He sees her as outwardly beautiful. If only we were all so lucky to see the inner character of those we meet.
I love the verse in the Bible, "charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting."
As we age, we can see God wasn't kidding when he said, "fleeting." Our youthful beauty only lasts a few decades, and what remains is our character. What is the essence of our being? Hopefully, it is love.
Treating others in the spirit of love will soften all of our relationships. Love is the greatest gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have love, you have patience with others. If you have love, you have joy with those who know you. If you have love, you have peace in your life. If you have love, you will show patience to the people around you. If you have love, kindness will bud forth towards others. If you have love, you are faithful to those who count on you. If you have love, you will show humility. If you have love, self-control is on the horizon.
A Baptist pastor, Martin Luther King Jr., once said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."
Love is our most excellent beauty trait of all.
Gigi Lori