YOU HAVE TWO KINDS OF BEAUTY
By: Paul Lai
Translator: Gloria Yu
Leo Tolstoy once wrote: “It is not beauty that endears, it is love that makes us see beauty.” You have always been beautiful and charming to me – a truly beautiful woman both inside and outside. Outer beauty may attract people momentarily, but it does not last; it is superficial and temporary. Many people may possess outer beauty, but they are ugly inside. Your beauty however, both inside and outside, has forever left an imprint on everyone’s heart. Your life was filled with God’s sublime love, and love for men and everything created. Your smile came from the bottom of your heart, and is so captivating that people became aware of your beauty. A smile always brings so much more value to one’s face and your smile to me was one that reflected the intimate relationship between your soul and Christ, with all the glow and glory that the Lord Jesus bestowed on your life.
When our eldest son Steve was six or seven years old, he suddenly asked me one day: “Father, why did you marry mother?” I asked: “Why did you ask such a question?” He replied: “Because mother is very beautiful.” I took the opportunity to teach him a great lesson in life – about inner beauty. I asked him: “Are you going to marry someone as beautiful as your mother when you grow up?” I went on to tell him there are two kinds of beauty – outer and inner beauty and asked him which kind would he pick? He hesitated a moment and quickly replied: “I want both!” At that moment, I knew we have a very smart kid. Unlike most people who focus only on outer beauty, Steve realized the significance of inner beauty.
You remember that I told you many times that you are intelligent and talented, and you have a great fashion sense. You did not adorn yourself in expensive clothing, but everyone who knew you praised your style and good taste in fashion and color coordination. Your stature, virtues, integrity and how you treat others are truly exemplary. No wonder when our two children were asked which of us they resembled more when they were young, our two children always said “I’m more like mother.” There’s no point self-proclaiming one is beautiful; it has meaning only if it is a sincere compliment from others after they have met and dealt with you. The best compliment would be like the Bible’s description of a ‘virtuous woman’.
God loves us and paid a heavy price for our Salvation. Through the Lord Jesus, God lets us feel his sublime love so we can be reborn. When He looks inside us, God wants to see our change within. This change is not from our own will, but from His power plus our willingness to put our old self on the cross. Only when our old self dies can we be reborn together with Christ. Our re-born life is Christ’s life, and that is a beautiful life with all the inner beauties, everlasting. Inner beauty is what men and Christ like. Inner beauty is sincere and pure; it is not fake and contains no evil thoughts. The Bible says Christ looks at the heart, but men only look at the appearance. Some people may not be very pretty, but they have a beautiful heart and thus are appreciated by many. On the contrary, those who only look beautiful on the outside but have no inner beauty will be shunned by others. Undoubtedly, it would be grace upon grace if we could possess both outer and inner beauty.