IS BEAUTY REALLY ONLY SKIN DEEP??

My husband and I were waiting for our food one morning in a restaurant that we were trying for the first time.  We took our time to peruse the menu that contained a variety of interesting meal choices.  When the group of patrons seated next to us began receiving their food, we took note of the array of delightful looking dishes placed on their table and wondered if WE had made the right selections.

While trying to determine if one their dishes happened to be one I had ordered, I made eye contact with one of the women in the group.  I Immediately attempted to assure her that my staring was strictly due to whether I made the right choice and nothing else, so I blurted out, “This is our first visit here and I’m just noticing how good the food looks, have you been here before?" She responded with, “Oh yes and everything here is delicious, you will enjoy whatever items you selected!"  I smiled and said thank you as my eyes briefly connected with everyone seated at the table.  There appeared to be a mutual understanding of my inquiry about the food, based on the smiles beaming from most of their faces.

It was then that I noticed that one member of the group did not seem to share an appreciation for our short, but pleasant conversation. She was a very attractive woman, dressed in upscale attire and donned with finely detailed jewelry.  Our eyes locked and she peered at me as if I had just come between her and one of her most prized possessions.  Her gorgeous face was skewed by a frown and her eyes were filled with emotion that gave an impression of  both resentment and mistrust!!  Where could THAT be coming from?  We had never met before.  Why would our first encounter be so negative?

This experience made me think about how careful we need to be with the image that we present to others.  Here was a beautiful woman who possessed great potential in her ability to connect and relate to others... after all, being easy on the eyes is half the battle, right??  Our outward appearance can give an illusion of what our attitude and spirit should convey to those we meet.  God created many beautiful things on this earth.  His creations stem from the oceans and mountains to the sunrises and sunsets.

 We are one of God’s greatest creations, because he designed us to be a living example of Him and to draw others closer to Him.
We must sync our outward beauty with our internal beauty that was woven into us through God’s inspiration and creation.  We were fearfully and wonderfully made and our attitude and actions towards others, give praise and honor to God.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭14‬ KJV)

 When we prepare ourselves to leave the house and we take a look in the mirror, we must make sure that our inner beauty compliments our outer appearance and that both attributes illuminate us with the light in which God desires. ♥