Make some changes
November 2, 2011 (Wednesday)
Sometimes we meet people who are beautiful on the outside, but not on the inside. Inner beauty is really all that matters with God. When the letter to the Colosse Christians was penned, it expressed concern for inner beauty.
In effect, it says, “Remove the ugliness.” Here’s how it says that: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:5-10 NIV).
After you have used the cleansing cream of repentance, removing the ugliness, put on something beautiful: “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15 NIV).
There you have it. Get rid of the ugly; put on the beautiful. That’s how to be beautiful.