Oct 23 2008
Makeup: part 1
Women in America spend 7 billion dollars on cosmetics a year. An average of $100 per woman, per month. That’s a lot of money! From models with airbrushed makeup to Gramma’s who get their eyebrows tattooed, obviously women care immensely about their appearance.
And today, women care more than ever before.
Is this is a biblical desire? What is a Christian stance on makeup?
Our teaching elder, Gregg Harris, remarks “we are to have a “theology” for everything”. What does makeup have to do with the Great commission or showing the love of Christ?
I believe the answer to all of these questions begins with the heart.
Your outward appearance, including your makeup usage is public display of your personal motivation. If your heart is set on serving God, and honoring Him, your appearance will follow. As John McArthur writes:
A woman should examine her motives and goals for the way she dresses. [or wears makeup] Is her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshipping God? Or is it to call attention to herself and flaunt her beauty? Or worse, to attempt to allure men sexually? A woman who focuses on worshipping God will consider carefully how she is dressed, because her heart will dictate her wardrobe and appearance”
Allow me to interject, it is perfectly ok to refrain from wearing makeup altogether! Makeup wearing or not wearing is a liberty for you to decide. But, again, it comes back to the heart. We all must ensure that our choice to refrain is coming from a heart that desires to honor God.
So some questions to ask yourself as your facing your mirror:
-Do I wear makeup to appear older, more professional etc?
-Am I trying to hide some insecurity/dissatisfaction in who God made me?
-When was the last time I thanked God for how He created me?
-Why am I wearing makeup? Whose compliments do I desire or whose approval do I crave?
-Is the amount of time I spend in my makeup and beauty preparation excessive or it God-honoring?
-Do I spend too much on cosmetics or is the amount I spend God-honoring?
-Is my makeup usage point to the beauty of Christ or my fascination with the world?
-Am I showing moderation and self-control or am I distracting others from the inner beauty of the heart?
Once we honestly answer and assess our hearts we are able to move forward in an application and use of makeup that is God honoring.
Part 2, coming Tuesday…
Related posts:
- Summer makeup: Sheer red I know you’ve been itching...
- Answering the Guy Questions- Leslie Ludy just launched her...
- Spring Makeup trend: Brown Lipstick Well, the experts say brown...
Christa,
Those are great questions to ask yourself. When I wear make-up I usually wear it when my husband is with me or when I have to go to my son’s school. My grandmother taught me that one just does not leave the house without clean underwear and lipstick because “ya never know”.
I look forward to part 2.
Great post and thanks for sharing valuable makeup information.
Very thought provoking post. One question I always pose to myself is, “Am I doing this because I want to look good or because I want to look good for others?” I think that if you do things for your benefit — never in excess and purely to make you feel good — that’s it’s a way of worshiping God. Willing to accentuate the natural beauty you were given, though I think the same could be achieved by projecting your personality as it is and not bothering with makeup at all. In the Bible, if I remember correctly, women were discouraged against alterations and were encouraged to present pure or beautiful spirits…but interpretations always differ.
Great reminder! Thanks Christa!
Good post, Christa. I do have a question though: How can the amount of time I spend in my makeup and beauty preparation be God-honoring? Or, how can the amount I spend on cosmetics be God-honoring?
If you spend an exorbitant amount of time (an hour +) is that use of your time God-honoring or self-honoring?
Everything in moderation, if we are spending too much time in the bathroom or spending too much money on cosmetics, we need to cut back and spend more time serving our families and the church.
It’s like asking ourselves:
Is the amount I spend (say 15-20 min) God-honoring or is that too much time?
Is $100 a month too much or is that an amount that would please God?
The question implies that we need to make a decision and then act on that decision.
Right, I understand that. I guess my question was more: How can ANY amount of time I spend in my makeup be God-honoring? I’m not trying to imply that it can’t, I’m just asking how it can. As I’ve said before, I don’t really have a settled ‘opinion’ at this point.
Wow, Christa! This is so edifying. How to wear makeup for the glory of God!!! Very thought provoking. I look forward to reading more.
Well, let me answer that by asking you this:
Would it be God-honoring to ignore the time necessary to get dressed in the morning or exercise proper hygiene? (brushing hair/teeth, flossing, eating a nutritional breakfast, etc)
These things all take time because we live within the confines of time here on earth.
Just as we glorify God by taking the time to decorate and beautify our homes as an embassy of the kingdom of God, so we take time to decorate and beautify ourselves as ambassadors of the kingdom of God. But there are always too ditches on either side of the road, lean too far to either side and you’ll fall into disarray. Part 2 addresses this aspect more specifically, so I hope it will answer your question more thoroughly.
Thanks for your queries Annie!
Love,
Christa
thanks i love this site, but what is RSS?
RSS is a automatic feed that pops up in your bookmark bar- when you roll over it, it will notify you whether there are any new posts on this blog
I never got the clean underwear part, Farrah. In any case, I’m pretty much the kinda guy that like the minimalist look when it comes to makeup. That being said, I don’t have a problem with a neat, clean look.
[...] from part 1 Does the Bible talk about makeup? Nowhere in the scriptures are we commanded to wear, pursue or [...]