True Beauty

My wife and I have been watching a new “reality” show called True Beauty. The contestants are very good-looking young people who think they are vying for the position of “most beautiful” based on physical appearance and how they perform various modeling-related activities. What the three judges are looking for is actually inner beauty, which is largely based on the contestants’ behavior when they don’t know they are being taped by hidden cameras. In judging inner beauty, the judges basically focus on the contestant’s integrity and how they treat other people. It is a simple, fairly predictable show, but I enjoy it and it actually has some redeeming value.

What I am learning from this show is aside from the obvious shallow, ego-centric, self promoting ugliness that is often found in people (physically beautiful or not), that everyone has some unattractive characteristics. I realize that most readers will respond to my last statement with something to the effect of “Duh!” What I am trying to articulate goes a little deeper. True beauty doesn’t come naturally. Ugliness comes easily and naturally. For non-believers, becoming beautiful requires will power, a willingness to make changes to bad thoughts, bad words, and bad actions. For believers, the Holy Spirit continually perfects us, if we pursue Godliness. We also have to exercise will power to make changes, but even the strongest will power is weak when compared to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. I see much of my unattractiveness in the behavior of some of the contestants. This makes me see two truths to a greater depth than before:

1. I need to continually ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to me those areas in which I need improvement
2. I need to have more patience with people struggling with their own imperfections

On a funny note, I heard it once said that “Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes right to the bone.” That statement is intended to be humorous, but it hits on something which I believe is true. There is some ugliness beneath the surface of everyone, and a preponderance of ugliness will eventually make its way to the surface.

The photo is one of many that I have taken of our children. You can see more by visiting my very old website at the following link: http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Paradise/1368/index.html