A worldly habit we are all guilty of prioritizing is vanity. Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel good. I love getting my hair done and going the extra mile to make myself feel pretty on the outside. My girls and I enjoy getting mani-pedis, and the guys like to pamper themselves with a haircut or a fresh shave. While external beauty is important, internal beauty is just as crucial. Inner beauty encompasses your character and your moral beliefs. Virtues like genuine kindness, compassion, humility, and grace are all amazing qualities that make up inner beauty. That said, it’s important that the same maintenance you do to the outside, you do on the inside. Besides, where’s the fun in having a beautiful face and a dull heart? 

The Lord is not looking at the length of our hair, but the content of our character. He couldn’t care less about our next nail color or the newest pair of shoes we bought. When the Lord greets us, no judgment will be done upon our looks on the outside, only the inside. In God’s eyes, true beauty lies within the purity of our hearts and the intentions of our souls. Refrain from judging others by just their outward beauty, but by their inner beauty.

What can we do today to work on our inner beauty? 

1. Work on being less judgmental. Instead of judging others for what they’re doing “wrong”, maybe help them understand why that isn’t pleasing in God’s eyes, according to His word and not your judgment. Always remember you can’t judge people’s choices without knowing their options. (Matthew 7:1-2)
2. Live out the fruits of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Each one of these qualities makes up a person’s inner beauty. God calls us to love each other and ourselves, and we can start by embodying each one of these virtues. 
3. Each and every day, strive to be a better servant of the Lord. Every day we wake up is yet another opportunity to serve the Lord. Try your hardest to make someone smile, give to those around you, and help people in need. We have a direct hotline to the Lord; use it. Pray in the morning, pray in the afternoon, and pray at night. His line is open 24/7. 

Related Verses

• Hebrews 12:14
• Romans 2:3
• 2 Corinthians 13:14

Concluding Thoughts

Your internal beauty is far more valuable than your external beauty. Evaluate yourself and your day-to-day actions and how they reflect your inner beauty. The Lord made us perfectly in His image according to His good and perfect will. You are beautiful inside and out!

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for all that you’ve blessed us with thus far. Thank You for the external and internal beauty You’ve given us, for we know we were made in Your likeness. Help us work on our inner beauty by prayer and petition, and submit ourselves according to Your perfect will. Lord, allow us to judge others as You judge us: by our hearts. Allow us to love one another equally and wholeheartedly, for we know that’s what You’ve called us to do. We thank You, Lord, and we love You. Amen.

Devotional Summary

• A worldly habit we’re all guilty of: prioritizing vanity
• Inner beauty vs outward beauty
• How the Lord judges us and how we should judge each other
• What things can we do today to work on our inner beauty