Life Lessons From Josiah, Mary And DinahMuestra

MARY

What does the Bible tell about the beauty of a person? In the Old Testament, in many places we find men and women being described as beautiful and handsome. Following are a few examples: Rachel (Genesis 29:17), Esther (Esther 2:7), Saul (2 Samuel 14:25). Proverbs 31:30 puts beauty in perspective: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” 

In the New Testament, is there any mention of a Mary or a Paul being described as to how they looked? Has Jesus ever been described as how handsome he looked either? Jesus, hanging on the cross, on the contrary, has been described as One who "had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2). 

The  Apostle Peter handles the beauty issue, this way: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, 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)

We can see a young Mary, the mother of Jesus as a person with a beautiful body, soul and mind.

Introduced as a virgin, she had a beautiful body on the inside. She had hidden the word of God in her heart to keep herself holy (Psalm 119:11). Mary had a beautiful soul and spirit (Luke 1:46-48). Her soul glorified the Lord and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior. In reality she was humble. God had been mindful of her humble state. Mary had a beautiful mind. She was head-strong. She took responsibility for herself and her decisions when the plan of being the mother of Jesus was given to her. Her big decision cannot be made without her father’s and fiancé’s consent. According to the Old Testament law a woman can take a vow or break it only with her father or husband’s consent (Number 30). But Mary was independent in her thinking, when it came to a matter related to God, and empowered by Him!

The challenge for all of us is to be holy, humble and head-strong like Mary. God sees the inside of us, our hearts, not the outside (1 Samuel 16:7).