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. 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)
Our Lord Jesus was lovely, lowly, winsome and gentle in Spirit and as His followers we are to be so as well. These characteristics of Jesus were spotlighted in Scripture and are to be placed in our hearts and manifested in our lives demonstrating what we truly treasure - and that would be Jesus. It matters how we live. And “whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did,” Scripture tells us in 1 John 2:6. Remember, Jesus was “gentle and lowly in heart”, Amen? To draw near to God sans our hearts is mere pretense. God accepts only that which comes from the heart. It is always about the heart as it is the center of all passions – our control center, if you will. And it can be very deceitful, Amen? In Scripture the heart refers to the whole person including our thoughts. This is not to say, “follow your heart” rather “follow Jesus with your whole heart”. Remember, Scripture teaches the heart is the wellspring of life meaning out of the heart comes ones actions. It is the helm. Remember as well, Jesus is to be our Divine Guide through this life – empowering and equipping us by His indwelling Holy Spirit - transforming us by degrees into the image of the Lord Jesus. That is the goal – for us to be like Him.
The great care of our souls is to empty ourselves of ourselves and be filled with His Spirit which brings Him much glory and us much good. He was to be the firstborn among many brothers. And again, we grow in Christlikeness by degrees through His Word, prayer, application of the Truth’s learned through the power of His indwelling Spirit, through communion with others and through giving – both of ourselves and tangible goods. We are not islands, and none of us knows all things, we therefore need each other both to learn from and pray for and serve. Our goal in all this effort is to become more and more like the Master - enjoying His fellowship and the joy of His smile. We will never outgive Him either. He will be no man’s debtor. And those who enjoy God are always in pursuit of “further still” – ever desirous of more communion with Him. The wicked turn from Him, the righteous fervently cleave.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15 (NIV)