Do Not Be Obsessed With Youth And With Physical Beauty

Husbands are enjoined by the Bible to be faithful to the wife of their youth.

Malachi 2:15

Do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

The teaching is very clear—to the wife of your youth, not the youth of your wife—so that if your wife grows older, especially if she looks old because of you, continue to love her.

Sometimes, some women are deceived that they become obsessed and oppressed by this culture that tells them that they must look young forever. But how can you defy the forces of gravity for long? Gravity will win. Kung talagang sixty or seventy ka na, natural may konti ka nang puting buhok. Napaka-abnormal naman na itim pa rin lahat ang buhok mo at ni wala man lang kulubot ang iyong mukha. But when you age and your old look is backed up by wisdom, so much love and service rendered to people and to God, your looks become a passport to glorifying God. Hindi baling nagmumukhang matanda ang tao basta may pinagkatandaan at may pinuntahan ang kanyang pagtanda.

1 Pete 3:3,4

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Hindi natin sinasabi sa mga babae na magmukha na lang losyang o tiriringgay. Dapat talagang maging magandang-maganda kayo. God is the God of beauty. Pero kung ang ipinagmamalaki nyo lang na kagandahan eh tatlong oras kayong nagtirintas at gangga santol ang mga perlas ninyo kaya pala nagkakandaubos na ang perlas sa Mindanao dahil suot nyo lahat ngayon, pero wala namang ibang laman ang kalooban, balewala. Ang tunay na kagandahan bukod sa nakikita lang ng mata ay yung kagandahan ng kalooban. Do not get this Scripture wrong. Kasi akala ng iba, to be Christian is simply to look as if nature has devastated and left you like a mess. It’s good to be well-appointed but if that’s all there is to you, then that is not much. The inner self is more precious in God’s sight. At hindi masyadong magastos yung beauty care na yun. Hindi masyadong mahirap gawin at affordable to all.

So, ano ang challenge sa atin? What we desire to have and keep, what we fear to lose will become our master. Ano man ang gusto natin at hinahangad na makamit at wag mawala, yan ang ating magiging amo. Ang taong may pagkaganda-gandang payong na ayaw gamitin pag umuulan dahil baka kalawangin ay alipin ng payong. May taong ang ganda-ganda ng sapatos pero huhubarin muna ito at maglalakad sa baha, di bale nang makatuntong ng mga basag na bote at ng mga bakal na matatalim wag lang mabasa ang sapatos. Sila ang sinasabi nating ginagawang amo ang mga gamit.

Tayo ba ay alipin ng mga bagay-bagay? Hindi natin sinasabing maging bulagsak tayo pero pag merong mahalagang bagay na ibinigay ang Diyos, enjoy it. Kung ito ay nawala after your best efforts to keep them, ituloy ang buhay. Life goes on. Something is lost but something is always gained in everyday life. You cannot keep everything. You have to unload. Your hands must be free of old blessings so that they will have space for new ones. May nawawal sa pang-araw-araw na buhay. Kung hindi malalaglag ang mga luman dahon sa puno, walang espasyo para tumubo ang mga bago. There is constant renewal in life. You cannot hold on to things forever. They have to be left behind.