It’s
a rather nondescript house that sits on a busy thoroughfare. With no
distinctive characteristics, this rather plain home is easy to ignore. But as I
drove past it the other day, I noticed a “For Sale” sign in the yard. Attached
to the sign was a smaller notice that happily announced: “I’m gorgeous inside.”
While I’m not in the market for a new house, that sign intrigued me. What could
make this otherwise forgettable house gorgeous inside?
It
also made me wonder: Could that sign apply to us as followers of Jesus? Think
about it. No matter what we look like on the outside, shouldn’t there be within
us a beauty that reveals God’s love and work in our lives?
What
does the Bible say about inner beauty? We might start with Romans 7:22, which
says, “In my inner being I delight in God’s law” (niv). A few verses later in
Romans 8:6, Paul speaks of a Spirit-controlled mind that is characterized by
“life and peace.” And in Galatians, we see that letting the Spirit take charge
of our inner being will build in us the “fruit of the Spirit” (5:22), a
beautiful array of qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.
Delighting
in Scripture and allowing the Spirit to work in our heart will make us look
good on the inside—and will pay off in a life that honors God.
Righteousness in your heart produces
beauty in your character. (RBC)
