Things Mama Taught Me: "It Hurts to Be Beautiful"

In my early childhood, I had long hair and a tender scalp. (I wonder, why do the two so often go together?) On Saturday night, my mother would roll all that hair up on rags so that I would have curls when I presented myself in Sunday School the next day. When she brushed my hair in the morning—oh my, how it hurt! I squirmed and whined, but she persisted, assuring me that "It hurts to be beautiful." (Not that any pain I endured seemed to help permanently in that department! Oh well . . . )

What was she really teaching me? That desirable results usually have a price. A few wonderful things are completely free—sunshine, a baby's smile, birdsong, sleep—but most of the things we want cost money, time, effort, or other personal resources.

The same is true of inner realities. Would we have beautiful character? The chances are, it's going to hurt some! That is why the apostles urged believers in the early churches to give attention to their spiritual development. Paul wrote, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." He also said, "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Peter advised, "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 4:20-24; Colossians 3:9, 10; II Peter 1:5-8).

No effort of our own, regardless of positive results, will produce salvation; that is completely the work of Christ. But ongoing growth in spiritual graces requires intentional nurturing. Topsy (in Uncle Tom's Cabin") may have just "growed," but that's not the best way to develop either children or Christian character. It may cost us some healthy pain to be beautiful!

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
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