"In this chapter, I want to take this idea of studying ourselves in the mirror, turn it inside out so that we're looking at things from the best perspective, and make this ritual an important part of our everyday lives. What do I mean when I say 'turn it inside out?' I'm talking about evaluating ourselves from the inside to see how we present ourselves as a wife and mother."
2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?
Our inner beauty reflects our heart. We can give the world a picture of perfection on the outside, but when we let the walls down, our loved ones see the real us. Do they see an inner beauty that is far more precious than a beautiful exterior?
Today we are going to look at our first example of Rachel. Jacob was in love with Rachel - so much that he was willing to work hard for her father for seven years before he would be granted her hand in marriage. After seven years, her father Laban agreed to give Jacob his daughter for his wife. Jacob learned the next day that it was in fact Leah, not Rachel, that he had wed. His love for Rachel was so strong he was willing to work another seven years for her hand.
Are we as costly to our husbands as Rachel was to Jacob? "I’m talking about the virtue you reflect, the qualities you own, and the value you hold in his sight. Are you worth seven years?..."After two, three, seven or ten years, are you still the radiant bride that he vowed to honor and cherish that day? Or once the veil was lifted, were you somebody else?"
Are we still the girls our husbands fell head over heels over when we first met? Is our inner beauty still attractive? Or have we let the stresses and distractions of our day to day busy lives change our outlook? What are we bringing to the table? The question on Darlene's heart is this - "Am I being the help meet he deserves, and am I putting in the effort it takes to make a good marriage work?"
We need to check our inner beauty on a daily basis against God's word. Examine our hearts. Are we virtuous? Will our husbands and family see an inner beauty in us that is far more valuable than rubies or gold?
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