How would you like to spend a whole year at a spa for free? That is exactly what Esther got to do! All of the young, beautiful women in the entire kingdom were gathered and given beauty treatments for an entire year. At the completion of that year, the women were presented to the king so that he could choose his next queen (see Esther 2:12). It sounds a bit like a beauty pageant, don’t you think?
It is said in Esther 2:7 that Esther: “…was lovely and beautiful” (NKJV). Now, I know that most of you would have just continued reading, but I couldn’t. What did the writer mean? She was lovely and beautiful? Don’t these words mean practically the same thing? Well, I just had to find out, so I did some investigating. The word beautiful basically means “qualities that delight the eye.” In other words, you just couldn’t help looking at her because she was so pretty. The word lovely, on the other hand, means that Esther was full of love. She was loving, enjoyable, and delightful. She sounds like the kind of person you would want to be around. It says in Esther 2:15 that she: “…obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her” (NKJV).
You see, Esther was beautiful inside and out! It is not enough to be pretty on the outside – to wear nice clothes and jewelry or to look all put together. If you are full of bitterness and unforgiveness, or if you think you are better than everyone else, it will show. “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34 NKJV). Those around you will see the poison leaking out of you. But if you are full of God (and God is love), then when others get near you, they will feel that love coming out of you. Those around you will see and experience the fruit of the Spirit of God through your life: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (see Galatians 5:22-23). They will see that you are lovely and beautiful on the inside, as well as on the outside.
It was not just because of her looks and the year of beauty treatments that caused Esther to win this beauty pageant. The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight. So he set the royal crown upon her head and made her the queen.
Do you want to become beautiful on the inside and the outside? First, you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and allow God to come into your heart and life. Accept His forgiveness; allow Him to clean you up on the inside and make you new. Learn to forgive those who have hurt and wounded you, and ask God to heal you where it hurts. Let go of your past, and ask God to fill you with His love and help you to love others in return.
Beauty is only skin deep, but to be truly lovely, you must be full of love and full of God, for God is love. By following the examples that God gives us in the Bible, you will be well on your way to being beautiful on the inside, and your new inner beauty will begin to show on the outside.
Ladies, if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then please confess these words out loud, and watch your life gain newness and hope.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. I believe that You raised Him from the dead, and I accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of my life. Please forgive me for my sins and wash me clean. Please come into my heart and change whatever You need to change in me. In You, I am a new creation. In You, I am beautiful and lovely. Please fill me with Your love and help me to be the lovely woman You created me to be.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen.
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