Your Beauty Belongs to God

What's more important... God's idea of beauty? Or yours? Is there a way to combine both to achieve the best results while maintaining a focus on the truth?

It is important to recognize that beauty is not subjective. Beauty is an objective truth that comes from God. Personal preference is a secondary aspect of beauty—there are personal choices, personal likes and desires. But beauty itself is a form of objective truth that is divine.

In Joel Pelsue’s article, Beauty is Not Subjective, he mentions Yale University professor, Nicholas Wolterstorff book, Art in Action by Nicholas Wolterstorff, highlighting studies that have shown what is known as "syn-aesthetic" which is an extremely high percentage of people who show a clear preference for basic aesthetic judgments. “The results of this study demonstrated we have near universal agreement on how colors, shapes, and contrast affect us. The shocking conclusion is it was true regardless of your race, creed, gender or religion. It didn’t matter if the people were living in first world mega cities to third world villages. We are hardwired with the same basic preferences, and appreciations for beauty and aesthetics.” This is a solid indication that God’s beauty standards must be the priority.

In your beauty routine, you can recognize and emphasize God's beauty standards while simultaneously choosing your own personal preferences. You can be prayerful and mindful while you make your choices. Having guidance from Holy Spirit as you go through your beauty routine will help you to achieve the correct mindset concerning the beauty God has given you, which ultimately comes from within.

Remember—when you look in the mirror, when you add your favorite lip gloss or sparkly eyeshadow, know that what you are doing is emphasizing the beauty that God has blessed you with. And this is not wrong! But the attitude should be prayerful and full of gratitude toward Christ. Whatever look you achieve with your beauty routine, the glory goes to Him. Your beauty is not your own. It belongs to God!

The efforts you put forth, the choices you make in your beauty enhancements, and the look you achieve with your cosmetics are all meant as a way for you to care for and emphasize the beauty He has graced you with. You are highlighting God’s beauty, which is an objective truth. Your own personal preferences are simply for fun or entertainment. They match your mood, follow a trend, or enhance a certain feature.

But beneath the personal effort, the ultimate beauty is God's work, not yours. Be prayerful throughout your routine to keep God's beauty as the main focus. Through prayer you can place the emphasis on God while you make efforts with your looks, to ensure you are not just feeding your ego. You are glorifying him!