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Daily Devotion July 13, 2023

Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart” (Proverbs 27:19, MSG).

     Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The earliest known use of this phrase comes from the third century B.C. The premise is founded on the idea that inner beauty is of greater import than physical attractiveness.

     That’s good news for Scooter. Earlier this year, Scooter won the distinction of being the world’s ugliest dog. Scooter is a seven-year-old Chinese Crested who was born with reversed hind legs. One person described Scooter as a hairy hippopotamus.

     However, Gadi Schwartz, one of the contest’s judges fell in love with Scooter’s adorable nature:

            From the second he sits his hairless little booty and backward legs on your lap, you
            feel his warm, huggable power to change the meaning of the word ugly.

Such is the power of perception. One person’s hound is another person’s hunk.

     The writer of the Proverb quoted above underscores the importance of inner beauty. Inner beauty focuses on one’s heart, mind, and soul. The intrapersonal qualities of love, patience, goodness, kindness, and thoughtfulness are but a few of the virtues that determine one’s attractiveness.

     Elizabeth Kubler-Ross described the significance of inner beauty this way:

             People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
             but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.

People may be attracted to your outward appearance initially. Yet it is the divine beauty within you that determines whether they will stick around.

     We are attracted to persons who demonstrate courage in the face of conflict. We are drawn to those who stand by their promises and refuse to abandon their values. We stick with the people who invest their lives in promoting the greater good rather than what is good only for them.
     
     So, if you have a face that only a mother can love, take heart. Your physical appearance may get you a glance. But your inner beauty will gain you lasting appeal. Just ask the millions of fans who adore Scooter today.