What do most people consider the prime of their life? For many, it is somewhere between 20 and 30. Why? At that age a person is still young and usually good-looking and healthy. Teenagers do their utmost to behave and look like people in their twenties. People over forty, past the ideal age, try anything to hang on to that smooth skin and keep that same sporty young look. Just picture Grandpa jogging in the park.

A person's outward appearance certainly is important. You may enjoy looking good and energetic. That also counts for elderly and handicapped people. The Bible speaks more than once about the beauty of man. Moses was fair in the sight of God. David had a fine appearance and handsome features. David's daughter Tamar is referred to as the beautiful sister of Absalom (2 Samuel 13:1). Absalom himself surpassed all men in outward appearance, as we read in 2 Samuel 14:25,

In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.

Despite all this, God's Word warns us not to value good looks too highly. A beautiful shell without valuable content is useless. Absalom was a handsome young man, but he lived a sinful life. In Proverbs 11:22 we read,

Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman whose heart shows no discretion.

What's the use of a beautiful woman whose heart shows no sensitivity? A gold ring in a pig's snout doesn't necessarily make the pig any better. It remains an unclean animal. Isaiah sneers at the haughty and proud women of Jerusalem, who are obsessed with their physical appearance (Isaiah 3:16-24).

Today as well, people tend to put much emphasis on their outward appearance. Let me explain this further. Many concentrate totally on beautiful looks, and they want to enjoy having them here and now. For example – I want to have a nice tan now. I cannot be bothered by the fact that this will increase the risk of skin cancer in the future. Today I'm deeply in love with a very handsome young man. Right now I cannot worry about the fact, that he doesn't share my faith and that this could lead to future problems in the upbringing of our children. Enjoy life, right now! It happens all too often.

This is one of the reasons many of us have trouble accepting handicaps and dealing with handicapped people. This is why a less attractive girl, who also has poor taste of clothing, will be pestered at school. We notice it all around us. Turn on your TV, watch a movie. Impressively beautiful men and women are presented to us. If there is an ugly-looking person performing in the movie, it usually is some foolish or funny character.

Newspapers and magazines do their share in offering plenty of articles and photos that increase the awareness of one's outward appearance. Just think about the numerous articles about hairstyles and makeup.

Is this all wrong? No, not always. I have already stated that we may pay attention to our looks. There is nothing wrong with that. But let this not be the exclusively important thing. Be sure to concentrate on what lives inside a person: his faith, character, lifestyle. If I look at the trash magazines, I see many gold rings, but they are all in pig's snouts. If outward beauty is combined with godlessness, then it is vain, useless. People seem to have a strong desire to hide in a dream world. But they too often forget that this is far from reality. Real life is often so different from what TV, movies and magazines make us believe. We run into a trap if we don't watch it! We buy all kinds of highly recommended creams and cosmetics to ensure our young looks. We arrange for plastic surgery to straighten our noses. We easily get embarrassed about “nerdy” family members who pay little attention to their clothes and wear outdated styles. We would not think of going to school without carefully having applied our makeup. We wouldn't attend a party without having the same cool looks as our friends.

This overdose of attention to our outward appearance disturbs our relationship with fellow man. We choose our friends based on their looks. We neglect to work on a deeper relationship, through Bible reading and prayer. We despise people who are less attractive than us. Let's be careful! Too much attention to the outer shell is like burning straw. The flames of joy leap up high, but it does not take long until the fire is exhausted. Straw does not last long when on fire. If you fall in love with a woman because of her beauty you will soon get tired of her and easily fall for another, even more beautiful woman. If you start wearing a wig to maintain that youthful impression, you'll soon find yourself replacing your glasses with contacts. Your crooked legs are a continual annoyance, and you'll never be able to accept them as they are. So there will always be something to be dissatisfied with. This attitude makes a person restless and unthankful. Deep down, it is sinful to be caught in this train of thought. It is like building our house on the sand.

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.1 John 2:17