1 Peter 3:3: Do Not Let Your Adorning Be External--The Braiding Of Hair And The Putting On Of Gold Jewelry, Or The Clothing You Wear

1 Peter 3:3

[3] Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— (ESV)

As you read this verse you are likely thinking of how much money is made by companies that sell hair products, jewelry, and clothing to women! I suppose that the modern day companies that cater to women are not big fans of the words we find here from the Apostle Peter. Is Peter saying that Christian women should be drab, with no makeup or jewelry? Perhaps, wearing burlap sacks for dresses?

Peter is making a bigger point here. This is not a legalistic condemnation of certain kinds of things that women are apt to wear. Peter is speaking of the manner in which a women pursues beauty. If she is thinking that the way to be considered beautiful is by what is seen externally, then she is missing where true beauty lies. 

It is sad to see that most of our culture is given to only valuing beauty that is external. It speaks to just how shallow mankind truly is. It is no surprise that there is so much divorce and infidelity in relationships. If a man's understanding of beauty is only what he sees externally, he will be prone to lust, and not learn how to love a woman, valuing all of her, including the more important aspect of her beauty, what is inside.

 This admonition that Peter gives to women is very freeing. There are women who are very insecure and pressured to dress a certain way. They are hoping to be loved and valued by how they look externally. This kind of pressure is not healthy emotionally, and it is not right from a biblical perspective. A Christian woman should be set free from this kind of pressure.

If you are a woman, allow Peter's words to set you free from the pressure of impressing others with your external beauty. If you are a man, ask the Lord to help you to learn how to value a woman's inner beauty. Defining beauty only in an external way will lead you to lust.