The finest adorning in life is not an outward adorning of the body, but rather dressing oneself in the beauty of holiness and righteousness. While the outward adorning of the body is pleasing to the eye and physically appealing, the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit appeals to the heart and soul and makes one's life rich indeed.

David speaks of "the beauties of holiness" (Psalm 110:3); and Paul, quoting from Isaiah 52:7, says, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" Again, the Psalmist says, "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation." Isaiah says, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61:10). How shallow and hollow indeed is a beautiful countenance behind which is a corrupt and immoral life. We often sing, "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me," but we know that the prophet has said of the Christ, "He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isaiah 53:2).

The beauty of selfless sacrifice is seen in its finest hour in the suffering and death of Christ. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). Of the life of Jesus, Peter stated it simply, "...who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38). The people of God can do little to improve their physical appearance, but each one can adorn his life with meekness and holiness, doing good and sharing, "for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:16).

The beauty of the Lord's church is in its purity as a cleansed body, and the continued purity of the church depends upon the purity of the lives of all the saints. "A little leaven leavens the whole lump;" therefore, we must "purge out the old leaven" so that we may be a new, unleavened lump (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). How beautiful is a life of "golden deeds," of kind and compassionate words and works, of pure and wholesome speech, of a meek and submissive attitude (1 Peter 3:3-6), of a genuine respect for others and unpretended love of the brethren, of a holy and harmless life of doing justly, loving mercy, and being ready unto every good work, of a heart in which is no guile! How beautiful is the simplicity of worship: hearts that are attuned to the will of God, voices blending together in songs of praise, heartfelt prayers of supplication and thanksgiving, the solemn yet joyful fellowship of the Lord's Supper, the earnest exhortation and edification of the church through teaching, and the sacrifice of our financial resources to the Lord's work! Let the words of "A Beautiful Life" ring in our hearts as each of us gives himself diligently to the task of being "a worker who does not need to be ashamed" (2 Timothy 2:15). Surely the "beautiful people" are the godly people who shine as lights in a dark world of sin and degradation!