Value enduring inner confidence over skin-deep notions of beauty

By Rob Hurtgen

Summer unofficially has arrived. While you may be ready for summer, a quick peruse though the magazine rack at the grocery store will attempt to tell you your body is not.

So much media bombard men and women with messages of what masculinity and femininity are supposed to be.

I recently caught a snippet of an interview between an anchorwoman and a beauty correspondent who was encouraging the female viewers to build other women's self-confidence by complimenting their hair and other portions of their anatomy.

Beauty is important, but there is something missing in the message that real beauty is external.

As a father of three girls -- married to the most beautiful girl for 21 years this year -- I am greatly concerned about the messages sent to and absorbed by the most precious women in my life. My aim then, and the reminder I need, as the most influential man in their life, is to, yes, compliment them, but more importantly, to turn their hearts to radiate a beauty that endures -- an inner beauty that stands the test of time, reflecting the workmanship of God.

The Bible speaks of enduring beauty. 1 Peter 3:4 says, "You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."

These words remind us of some vital truths.

Your designer has gifted dignity.

Faith in God as revealed in the Bible teaches he is our creator, and his creation has value.

Just as a painter captures and creates the landscape on a canvas, God crafted humanity in what he saw: himself.

He dictated shape and form from the unseen molecular DNA structure to the color of eyes and shape of the nose.

Every man and woman bears the dignity of their designer.

Peter challenges the skin-deep beauty misnomer by stressing demeanor matters more than dress. The virtues of gentleness and tranquility express an inner confidence that both wows and woos.

Pushiness and abrasiveness from either gender are repelling. A calm confidence radiates a hidden beauty that lasts longer than a season.

We each can determine what will radiate from our lives, either by allowing others to determine our value or relying upon our creator who says, "in his image he has created them."

Swimsuit season is short; beauty is lifelong.