Beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes clear to the bone

photog by Jadyn Noelle Photography

A friend posted this comment on Twitter and it literally made me laugh out loud.  We tweeted  and laughed back and forth about it.  Ugly = mean was my friend's final tweet and I responded something along the lines of Ain't that the truth!  Subsequently, I went from laughing to pondering the weight of truth within the statement.  Beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes clear to the bone.  Such a simple statement.  So powerful.  So true.  


As I think about some of the most beautiful people I know, they each possess a radiance that starts within and is reflected on the outside as well.  Inner beauty,  the true catalyst for outer beauty, trumps all. 


So the question for today is are you beautiful *handsome for the gents* or ugly?
I'm not talking about your personal evaluation of your eyes, nose, face, smile or other assets, either.  This is a question that requires us to look within and ask: What is the condition of my heart?   How do I look within?  What's really going on skin deep?


God don't like ugly...


Beauty is as beauty does I have heard folks say... 


So what does Beauty look like?
Beauty is thoughtful, patient and kind.  It responds with a pure heart, expresses sincerity, speaks the truth in love and seeks to build up others.  A Beautiful heart is an open heart, one that embraces life to the full.  Beauty is welcoming, loving and supportive, thinks of others first and wants what is best for all.  Faith, love, hope, trust, encouragement and forgiveness are all expressions of Beauty.  


How does Ugly look?
Ugly is hasty and mean.  It crafts and holds onto lies, tears others down, and reacts with anger, hatred and aggression.  Ugly refuses to accept truth and insists on winning at all costs.  Ugly thinks only of self, sees no way but it's own and blames everyone else.  Ugly one ups, tears down, excludes and takes pleasure in causing others pain.  Gossip, jealousy, envy, hatred and strife are all synonymous with Ugly.   


When I read through the two descriptions above, all the words describing Ugly actually sound detestable.  The words describing Beauty sound desirable and attractive.  Beauty describes all the traits that I want to emanate, so that is where I purpose to live life and I hope you will join me.  Now is the time to become the Beauties that we truly are because if Ugly can go clear to the bone, well Beauty can too.