Eye candy or soul food ∙

Eye candy or soul food ∙

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart. – Luke 6:45

1 Peter 3:3-4

 3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.

 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

“Eye candy” is a phrase used to describe someone or something that is visually pleasing but lacks depth, significance, or functionality. It implies being attractive and pleasing to the eyes but often superficial without inner quality.

Studies suggest that individuals considered physically attractive by societal standards have many advantages in life. Alas, that’s how it is in our flawed and fallen world. “At all ages and in all walks of life, attractive people are judged more favorably, treated better, and cut more slack . . .. Teachers favor more attractive students and judge them as smarter. Attractive adults get paid more for their work . . .. And juries are less likely to find attractive people guilty and recommend lighter punishments when they do” (Eric Wargo).

This universal recognition of physical attractiveness makes many strive to be as attractive as possible. However, “In the end, makeup can make a difference in perceived physical attractiveness, but that only takes one so far: Despite the advantage that physical beauty may have for short-term relationships, people seeking long-term connection do prioritize ‘inner beauty’ over exterior appearance – emphasizing, for example, kindness, intelligence, and a good sense of humor” (Psychology Today).

Often, modern psychology, through trial and error, “discovers” beneficial principles for living. Many of these principles were revealed in the Scriptures over two thousand years ago.

1 Samuel 16:7 The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Outward appearance is not a predictor of how someone will live over time. Actions flow from the heart.

Guard your heart with all diligence – For from it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Beauty is more than skin deep. Children of the King are to make a conscious choice not to be eye candy alone; they are to choose to be soul food. Being physically attractive should not be an end in itself. Instead, we should seek the inner beauty of the soul. We are to be beautiful not only on the outside but also on the inside. Genuine beauty comes from the heart. When you’re beautiful inside, it will reflect on the outside. Good hearts exude kindness, compassion, sympathy, loyalty, truthfulness, joy, tenderness, meekness, and poise (Eddah Barno).

Being visually appealing, or “eye candy,” only takes you so far. When your heart lacks empathy for others, it eventually becomes evident. Everyone has the potential to be “soul food” – it’s a matter of choice. Strive each day to develop a kinder, more compassionate heart. Soon enough, you will be desirable “soul food.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Imagine the transformation in our spiritual lives if we dedicated as much effort to nurturing our souls as we do to maintaining our physical bodies. Our bodies are important, but they will die; our spirits, however, will live forever (Stanley).

Father thank You for the opportunity to cultivate true inner beauty. Enable me to grow in kindness, goodness, graciousness, and gentleness. May I exude the sweet-smelling aroma of Lord Jesus Christ.

INSIGHT

The Christian faith originated in a world that had lost its moral compass. The first century AD Roman Empire was characterized by decadence, opulence, and excess. “Confronted by all this, Peter pleads for the graces which adorn the heart, which are precious in the sight of God. These were the jewels which adorned the holy women of the past” (Barclay). “Peter contrasts the outward and the inward aspects of beauty, the beauty dependent on outward aids and that which is dependent on the true inner self” (UBS).

1 Peter 3:3-4

 3 Let your beauty not be external – the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes –

 4 but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

Peter’s appeal is directed to women; however, the principles apply to all children of the King. Peter targets externals such as elaborate hairdos, outer clothing, and expensive jewelry. He urges each of us to focus on the inner (hidden) beauty of the heart. What matters to the Father is a godly character, exhibited through a gentle and quiet spirit.

Peter is very balanced in his approach. “It is clear that Peter is not literally prohibiting all braiding of hair or all wearing of gold jewelry, because if this were the case the same prohibition would apply also to wearing clothing! Instead, Peter warns against both an inordinate preoccupation with personal appearance and material excess in such matters” (ESV notes). Our appearance should not be ostentatious or seductive; rather, it should be discrete and unassuming.

What does the Father prefer for the children of the King? What kind of beauty does the Father find most valuable? He wants our beauty to be a manifestation of our inner self, our souls, and our spirits. In the original Greek, it is literally “the hidden person of the heart.” It could be translated as “the hidden person, which is the heart” (UBS).

The word heart refers to the whole person, the inner personality. Peter describes such beauty as ageless, literally imperishable; it never fades (UBS). Unlike superficial beauty, which diminishes with age, and outward adornments, which are short-lived, inner beauty “never changes because it comes from a gentle and quiet spirit” (UBS).

Paul’s cautionary admonition for women applies universally to all children of the King.

1 Timothy 2:9 I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.

We should stress the quality and purity of our hearts while minimizing external appearance.

Children of the King should be remarkable for the Christlike behavior that emanates from our inner self. Such beautiful spirits are soul food for others to partake of. This is what the Father considers true beauty. The Father values and desires Christlikeness for every child of the King.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

 14 Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.

 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.

 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

Eye candy or soul food? The choice is yours.

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© Dr. H 2024