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Beauty that Endures, August 25
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
.
In dress, as in all things else, it is our privilege to honor our Cre-
ator. He desires our clothing to be not only neat and healthful, but
appropriate and becoming.... Our appearance in every respect should be
characterized by neatness, modesty, and purity....
Our clothing, while modest and simple, should be of good quality,
of becoming colors, and suited for service.
Chaste simplicity in dress, when united with modesty of demeanor,
will go far toward surrounding a young woman with that atmosphere of
sacred reserve which will be to her a shield from a thousand perils.
It is right to buy good material and have it carefully made. This is
economy. But rich trimmings are not needed, and to indulge in them
is to spend for self-gratification money that should be put into God’s
cause.... Practice economy in your outlay of means for dress.
When the mind is fixed upon pleasing God alone, all the needless
embellishments of the person disappear.
He [Jesus] will send the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness
into the soul, which will impart beauty and fragrance to the spiritual life.
He will give to the character the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
which in the sight of God is of great price.
It is right to love beauty and to desire it; but God desires us to love
and seek first the highest beauty, that which is imperishable. No outward
adorning can compare in value or loveliness with that “meek and quiet
spirit,” the “fine linen, white and clean,” which all the holy ones of earth
will wear. This apparel will make them beautiful and beloved here, and
will hereafter be their badge of admission to the palace of the King.
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