based on the Love God Greatly Study, Trials and Triumphs / w3d1
The Journey(Scripture and Observation)
Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-7 and SOAP: verses 3-4
Let your beauty not be external—the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes— 4 but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
1 Peter 3:3-4 NET
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”? According to Wikipedia, it’s an old saying or “expression for an avoidable error in which something good or of value is eliminated when trying to get rid of something unwanted.” In full disclosure, this is what I found myself doing as I began reading today’s passage. Why? Because I’m no longer a wife, and because I’m not – I find myself mentally eliminating the portions of passages where husbands and wives are mentioned. The problem with doing this is that God’s Word is not meant to be diced up or thrown out according to what we deem necessary or unnecessary to/for our lives – for all Scripture has been breathed out by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that we, as God’s servants, may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
So, while the photo we want to snap of this particular day’s journey is Peter’s emphasis on the comparison between external and internal beauty, we must be careful not to throw out the rest of the passage simply because it seems insignificant or makes us feel uncomfortable. Since the Love God Greatly journal entry1 today does such a wonderful job of explaining the entirety of the passage, I am sharing it with you (in its entirety, including the prayer) with the encouragement to take in the whole passage and allow God to use it to equip you for every good work.
In ancient Rome, societal norms dictated that husbands held absolute authority over their families. Imagine being a woman whose newfound faith in Christ wasn’t shared by her husband. While husbands who became Christians would bring their whole family to church, women did not have that authority. Wives who became Christians would likely have to walk a delicate path, navigating their way to church alone, possibly against the wishes of their spouse. For many women around the world, this is still a reality.
Peter emphasizes the fleeting nature of external beauty – a beauty that is meticulously crafted with the latest fashions and trends with the goal of impressing others. Instead, he encourages us to cultivate a beauty that radiates from within a beauty marked by the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This beauty doesn’t fade; it matures and deepens with time.
Being “submissive” can be a touchy and misapplied topic. It’s often misunderstood and sometimes misused yet Jesus Himself exemplified it perfectly. He submitted to God’s plan, demonstrating immense strength and profound love. As Peter teaches, submission never compromises our obedience to God. It does not mean being a “doormat” or remaining in an unsafe or abusive situation or enduring harm or doing things that violate God’s Word or our conscience. But it does mean being meek enough to follow our husband’s leading (except into sin, of course). It is a resilient, godly posture motivated by love and done out of respect for God and others.
While there is not a specific list Peter gives of how a wife is to submit to her husband, he mentions Sarah, who submitted to Abraham, calling him “lord.” This showed an inner attitude of respect out of obedience to God’s commands. As Peter writes, women who did this well had their hopes resting in God, not on their own cleverness, charm, or beauty – not even in their own husbands. That’s why they could be fearless and strong, while at the same time having a quiet and tranquil spirit.
Living the Journey (Application)
Let’s ask God to help us have an inner beauty that points to Christ and leads others to know Him.
Prayer for the Journey
Dear Lord Jesus, teach us to prioritize the inner beauty that You cherish. Help us take care of the body You have entrusted to us, not out of vanity but as an act of worship to You. Amen.
The More We Know
For more insight check out today’s Love God Greatly Blog post
- Love God Greatly Digital Journal, Triumph Over Trials, p 94 ↩︎
Me From the Inside Out 