Halle Berry
Halle Berry is one of the most beautiful women in the world. Whether in a catwoman suit or walking around in a pair of
sweat pants, I don't think she's ever had an unattractive moment. I don't agree with everything she says but recently she
shared a message of unusual insight and I think we need to be echoing her sentiments to our kids.
At a news conference promoting her latest movie, Ms. Berry criticized our culture's obsession with beauty and young
people's desire to achieve physical perfection. As she discussed her own problems with two failed marriages behind her,
this Oscar winner and 1986 Miss World runner up said that her physical beauty has never spared her anything in life.
Furthermore, she stated that "beauty is essentially meaningless and always transitory."
When we speak about abstinence in schools and churches, we observe many lovely young people. We see gorgeous young ladies
with flawless figures and handsome guys full of vim and vigor. It is obvious that they all spend a tremendous amount of
time primping and preparing themselves, hoping to be noticed. Adolescence is a time of discovery and maturation so it makes
sense that middle school and high school kids would want to be appealing to others. As we look into the audience, we will
often sincerely compliment the crowd on their physical attractiveness. But we also admonish them to do one thing; spend as
much time working on their inside character as they do on their outward appearance. It's quite a concept for most kids. The
idea that they should be concentrating on their personal integrity and virtue often shocks the audience. But it's just what
Halle Berry says; boil it down and beauty don't mean squat and can't really be counted on. You'd be surprised how quickly
the auditorium or classroom will go silent just with that one convicting statement.
Last year my son mentioned to me that one of the prettiest girls in his former middle school was also one of the girls with
the worst reputation. Having seen her during a recent presentation, I agreed that she was extremely cute. Yet I wonder if
the time this girl spends in quiet contemplation and character development is anywhere near the time she spends streaking
her hair or buying another tight shirt. Probably not. We all must pay attention to this. Proverbs 31:30 states "charm is
deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Moms and dads, how are you doing with
giving your precious son or daughter this important reminder? Are you prompting your children to dedicate their lives to a
loving God? How do you appropriately balance your own desire to be outwardly attractive with the spiritual mandate of
personal virtue? As a mother of three sons, I'm desperate to find more young ladies who are more beautiful on the inside
than on the outside. I know they are out there.
Here are five ways you can encourage the young people in your life to focus on their inner beauty:
Pay attention. Read Psalm 40:8-9 and ask the Lord to unseal your lips and grant you boldness as you speak to the great
assemblies in your own life. It may be in the mini-van, the dinner table or just before the big game but find opportunities
to remind your kids about their inner significance and value.
Invest. Not in more cosmetics and trendy new clothes but give your kids time, attention and affection. Remind them of their
inherit worth.
Dads, notice your daughter. Tell her she's pretty and lovely. Girls need to hear this from their fathers. If you don't do
it, someone else will.
Dads, talk to your sons about girls. Provoke your sons to look beyond the curves and perfume. Help train them in
self-control and godliness.
Check out the book Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World by Vicki Courtney. Go to her website www.virtuousreality.com.
I won't be going to Ms. Berry's latest film but she does get some serious props for her thoughtful observation.
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