Dear Women! (Part Two)

From the heart of Dr. R. L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Expositor & Teacher. Biblical womanhood is the distinguishing character of a woman as defined by the Bible. The apostle Peter teaches, “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3–4). This passage sheds some valuable light on God’s intentions and purposes for His daughters. Although Peter is speaking specifically to wives, this instruction applies to all women who seek godly womanhood. Let’s understand that Peter is not forbidding these things. He is not prohibiting women from braiding hair, wearing gold jewelry, or wearing clothing! His command is that godly women are not to seek their “adornment” or “beauty” or identity in these external fashion choices. Peter is not condemning outward beauty but a redirection of focus! Scripture does not give similar instructions to men, which reveals God’s understanding of the women He created. God is aware that women generally focus more on their outward appearance than most men do. God also knows that the physical beauty of a woman is often exploited, cheapened, and used for selfish ends. So He lets her know that her real beauty is not found there, on the outside. God desires for His daughters to dig more deeply to find the reflection of Himself that He placed inside them. Peter calls it, “the hidden person of the heart.” He also says this hidden person “is precious in the sight of God.” In other words, a Cover Girl or an Essence face with a coarse, mean spirit doesn’t draw people for the right reasons. When a woman turns her attention to the beauty of her soul, her attractiveness becomes a cause of her exaltation rather than her exploitation. As she focuses on developing kindness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22), she becomes more like Jesus, whose attractiveness was not outward; yet the world has never produced such beauty (Isaiah 53:2). Be encouraged!