When you hear the word 'beauty', what comes to mind?
Most people immediately think of outward traits - body shape, hair texture, facial symmetry, smile, eye colour, or even clothing and its price tag. Rarely do we hear someone define beauty by inner qualities like kindness, humility, or strength of character.
But can we really be blamed? This is the lens through which society teaches us to view beauty.
We’re living in a time where appearance is everything. 'Natural' is seen as plain, and 'enhanced' is praised. Plastic is trendy. Filters are the norm. From teenagers to the elderly, everyone’s trying to lift, fill, or fix something. The fear of aging is real. The pressure to look young, flawless, and expensive is relentless.
But what has this obsession really given us? Anxiety. Insecurity. Discontentment.
I think it’s time to stop and ask a deeper question: what does God say about beauty?
Created by the author of beauty
Take a moment and look around at creation - the oceans, mountains, flowers, and the sky. Have you ever looked at any part of nature and thought 'that’s ugly'? Probably not.
The same God who handcrafted the beauty of the world also designed you and me, with precision and purpose, long before we were born (Psalm 139:3-14; Jeremiah 1:5). In fact, Genesis 1:27 reminds us: “So God created mankind in His own image...”
This alone means we carry a beauty that transcends culture, trends, or public opinion, because we reflect the image of God. That truth should transform how we see ourselves and others.
God looks at the inner self
God’s standard of beauty is about the inner person – the heart, mind, and spirit.
1 Peter 3:3-4 says: “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.”
God delights in those who mirror His character. Think about it: though we’ve never seen Him with our physical eyes, yet we call Him beautiful because of His divine attributes and immense mercy and love for us.
Jesus: the perfect model of divine beauty
When God revealed Himself to us in human form through His Son, Jesus Christ, how did He choose to appear?
The prophet Isaiah (53:2) tells us: “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”
Even Jesus was overlooked and rejected because He didn’t fit the world’s standards of power and beauty! Though His beauty wasn’t outward, Jesus radiated the fullness of divine beauty in its purest form - through humility, compassion, gentleness, selflessness, obedience and holiness.
To sum it all up, Jesus’ beauty is found in His sacrificial love. And it is His standard of beauty we are called to pursue above all else.
He embraced birth in a manger over a mansion (Luke 2:7). He lived simply as a carpenter and closely fellowshipped with those society overlooked (Mark 6:3; Luke 5:30-32). He healed the sick, fed the hungry, served His disciples and unwaveringly obeyed the Father even unto death on the cross - ultimately laying down His life so that we might receive eternal life (Matthew 15:30; Matthew 14:19-20; John 13:5; Philippians 2:8; John 10:11; John 3:16).
What could be more beautiful than this?
A beauty that never fades
Unlike worldly beauty, which fades with age or trends, God’s divine beauty is eternal just like His unfailing love for us (Psalm 136:1). It grows as our hearts become more like His.
So, while the world may pressure you to strive for physical perfection – to appear flawless in mirrors or photos – remember God is looking within. What matters most is about how much of God’s heart – His love, truth, and grace - is visible in your life. Even the fruit of the Holy Spirit isn’t about outward appearance but inner transformation (Galatians 5:22-23).
Therefore, instead, “clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14) and “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psalm 29:2).
Let’s redefine beauty - not by the world’s fleeting standards, but by the timeless and perfect standard of the One who made us!
