Andrea, a podcast listener writes and asks this, Pastor John, I struggle a lot with having

a negative body image based on an internalized cultural ideal that I've had ever since

I can remember.

What does inner beauty really mean from a Christian perspective?

She's so, she's so right to represent thousands of women who I think are hurt and infected

by what they see on endless advertisements, endless TV shows where women are presented

with amazingly consistent expectations that external savvy, external strength, external

cool, external beauty, all external sexiness are the norm and oh, how we need to help these

women fight the fight of letting God speak to them as powerfully as the world speaks to

them.

So, the Bible really, really does address this question, cares a lot about it and let me

just take one passage and answer her question, what is inner beauty from it?

This is first Peter 3, 3 through 6, pretty clear answer, I think, in these four verses.

So, let me just start reading and make some comments.

Do not let your adorning be external, talking to the wives here, do not let your adorning

be external, the breading of hair, the putting on a gold jewelry or the clothing you wear.

Now, stop right there and notice this is really crucial.

He's not talking about particular kinds of hairdoes or particular kinds of jewelry being

the problem.

We know that because he says, don't let clothing be your outer beauty.

Well, he doesn't mean don't wear clothing, you've got to wear clothing.

So when he says, don't let your adorning be the clothing you wear, he doesn't mean stop

...