Circumspect Sunday (repost): Beauty of Biblical Proportions

I'm not as shallow as I purport to be.  Sure I love cosmetics, towering shoes and big hair — but that by no means defines my ideology of beauty.  I'm sure everyone has had interaction with that woman (or man) who was heaven to gaze upon — just walking beauty.  Their exterior was literally something to behold.  But when you  got to know that person intimately and it turned downright ugly. 

All the good looks in the world can't compensate for a hideous interior.  I'm talking about the heart, the inner person, the true self, the motivation behind the action.  All that outside beauty is truly a façade that covers someone the antithesis of beautiful.

I love the metaphors for beauty in the Bible, in  the book of Proverbs in particular. They don't relate to physical looks at all.  Rather, they highlight desirable qualities.  I know that everyone who reads this blog is not a believer in the Bible, but the insight and sensibility in these Proverbs resonate throughout all cultures and religions nonetheless.  Enjoy!

1.  Proverbs 4:7-9 — likens wisdom to beauty:

⁷ Wisdom is the prime thing. Acquire wisdom; and with all that you acquire, acquire understanding. ⁸ Highly esteem it, and it will exalt you. It will glorify you because you embrace it. ⁹ To your head it will give a wreath of charm; a crown of beauty it will bestow upon you.

Lesson: Being knowledgeable is just fine, but application of acquired knowedge brings forth wisdom.  Wisdom = Beauty.

2.  Proverbs 16:31— Gray-headedness is a thing of beauty:

³¹ Gray-headedness is a crown of beauty when it is found in the way of righteousness.

Lesson: We all get old, but it's a beautiful thing when an elder is an example of moral uprightness.

3.  Proverbs 17:6 — Family ties are beautiful:

⁶ The crown of old men is the grandsons, and the beauty of sons is their fathers.

Lesson:  Be accountable for your family.

4.  Proverbs 19:11 — Passing over transgression is beautiful.

¹¹ The insight of a man certainly slows down his anger, and it is beauty on his part to pass over transgression.

Lesson: Forgiveness = Beauty.

5.  Proverbs 20:29 — The power of youth is beautiful.

²⁹ The beauty of young men is their power, and the splendor of old men is their gray-headedness.

Lesson:  Use your power when you are young to do good, to do God's will.

6.  Proverbs 28:12— There is abundant beauty when there is righteousness.

¹² When the righteous ones are exulting, there is abundant beauty; but when the wicked ones rise up, a man disguises himself.

Lesson: When good people (righteous) abound, or are in positions of power, there is no need to hide.

Do you have any proverbs or words of beauty?  Please share.