We focus so much of our lives on attaining things that fade, trying to get what we think we need. If most people are honest or really knew what drives humans, it’s a deep desire for perfect love. If you’re reading this, you know that humans are flawed. How can human love be perfect? We can be at peace when we begin to understand how perfectly we are loved by the God who planned, purposed and created us. God sent His Son to take our punishment, the fear of punishment and unworthiness, knowing this removes the sting of fear. Trying to be popular, admired, beautiful, or get attention isn’t as important when we know that we are truly loved.
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18
Charm & Beauty
Proverbs 31:30 says that charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting. Charm can be misleading in many ways. It can distract and deceive others and even exaggerate a point. Building relationship foundations solely on charm will eventually cause confusion and instability for both parties. Physical beauty fades with time; we fight it, but it will ultimately fade; the accolades and attention will eventually stop. This process provides us with eternal wisdom. It gives us eyes to see and prioritize the eternal and the spiritual and align with eternity’s priorities. It begins with a healthy fear of a powerful, eternal, unfathomable God who loves us perfectly.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30
What’s Left
After everything we fret over, our search for significance, the many distractions, and relationships, only a few things last. They are faith, hope, and love. God doesn’t want us to fear, strive, or fret, guessing whether He’s angry at us. To be eternally focused is to have these priorities in our lives. This is possible when we surrender to His perfect love for us, when we bow to Him, not to our desire for flawed love and worldly attention.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
