What is Beauty of the Heart? %

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” (1 Peter 3:3–4, KJV)

Did you know the Bible talks about two kinds of beauty? God focuses on one kind, but we often focus on the other. In this devotional, we’ll look at what both kinds of beauty are and what they mean for your everyday life.

In 1 Peter 3:3–4, Peter speaks to women, but the truth he shares is for everyone—both women and men. He shows us two kinds of beauty that relate to different parts of who we are:

1. Outward Beauty

This is the kind of beauty we see with our eyes. It includes our physical appearance and the things we wear—like clothes, jewelry, or hairstyles. This beauty is not bad. The Bible does not say we should ignore or dislike our bodies. Instead, it reminds us to keep outward beauty in the right place. It is not the most important part of who we are. It comes second—not first.

2. Inner Beauty

Peter calls this “the hidden man of the heart.” This is our inner man—our spirit and soul. It includes our thoughts, feelings, desires, and the kind of person we are on the inside. Just like someone can look beautiful on the outside, someone can also be beautiful on the inside—with a heart full of godly character that is very attractive to God.

Peter tells us about two special parts of inner beauty: gentleness and a quiet spirit. These are traits that are very valuable to God. And if you’ve read Galatians 5, you may notice something—these are fruits of the Spirit!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23, KJV)

The jewelry of the inner man—the beauty God loves—includes things like love, patience, kindness, and self-control. These do not grow old or fade. Instead, they grow stronger and more beautiful as we grow in Christ.

This kind of beauty lasts forever. Unlike outward beauty, which fades with time, inner beauty becomes brighter and more glorious as we grow spiritually.

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, KJV)

Here’s God’s plan for you:

Adorn your inner man with spiritual jewelry—a beauty that never fades, but becomes more glorious every day!

Meditate

What does Peter mean when he says that a gentle and quiet spirit is precious in God’s sight? What does this teach you about what God values most?

Apply the Word

Are you beautiful in God’s eyes? Now you know what true beauty is! Some believers have hearts full of beauty, even if they’re not in the choir, on the pulpit, or giving prophecies. That’s why Jesus said, “the first shall be last, and the last shall be first” (Matthew 19:30, KJV)—because what God values is often different from what people admire.

So start putting on beautiful clothes—not just on your body, but on your heart!