Tending Your Beauty Garden

We can think of our own personal beauty as a type of garden. A garden is a combination of nature—wild earthly goodness—that's tamed with our nurturing care and organization. Your personal beauty comes from God. Your beauty routine is the nurturing care that oversees what God has given you naturally.

In Genesis 1:28 God ordains that we shall have dominion over every living thing that moves over earth. We have dominion over God’s creation. We have been intentionally charged with caring for all things physical. We are meant to tend the garden, to care for the earth and all earthly elements. That includes you—your physical self!

You can apply this philosophy to your personal beauty routine and recognize that the ultimate purpose of grooming yourself is to bring Glory to God. Making the best of your appearance is a part of the process of caring for God’s creation. Become aware that styling your hair and painting your toenails are a form of "tending your garden" and that caring for the physical self is merely an aspect of respecting God's will. A desire to look and feel your best does not need to be associated with ego. Instead it should be considered as a way to cultivate the beauty found on earth, in you and as you, for the glory of God.

Imagine your physical self, your physical beauty as a garden—a garden you are tending to so that you can glorify God! With your cosmetics and perfumes, your beauty products, lotions, and body sprays, you are simply emphasizing your natural beauty to cultivate your garden and show gratitude to God for the beauty he has blessed you with.

Think of your skin care routine as tilling the soil. Your hair care products—oils, conditioners—as planting seeds for better hair. You are “pulling weeds” when you tweeze your brows, and “watering flowers” when you apply your hydration mask. Thank God and show your love for Him through the care you give to yourself—as His creation.

And as you do these things, do them all for the glory of God. Be prayerful as you apply your lotions and add color to your lips. Give praise to God for his creation and thank Him for allowing you to be trusted to care for all that is made—including you! You are His creation! Remember that as you look in the mirror. Make yourself look your best to glorify Him.