–– Paul Schlehlein

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Beauty products make big money around the world. The beauty industry generates over $650 billion in revenue worldwide. In 2023, South Africa alone spent $6 billion on beauty products. South Korea leads the world in skin care products, spending $7 billion in 2023. Just the hair industry in South Africa is worth nearly R10 million, as weaves, wigs, and waves make big business in beauty salons and on social media. The cosmetics industry is taking off in countries like Ghana and Kenya, with Nigeria anticipated to be the rising star. 

Lest the reader questions how much men value beauty, in late 2024 King Mswati III (age 56) married the daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma. She was twenty-one, becoming his sixteenth wife. 

Inner Beauty

Scripture presents a balanced view of a woman’s physical beauty, not exaggerating its value nor ignoring its importance. 

On the one hand, the Bible emphasizes beauty in a woman’s heart over her face and figure because physical attractiveness will eventually fade, but the beauty of a woman’s godliness will only grow. 

King Lemuel’s mother said in Proverbs 31:30: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” A beautiful woman with a wicked heart is like lipstick on a pig (Pr. 11:22) and physical beauty can easily lead to sins like pride (Ez. 28:17). The adulteress in Proverbs 6 is called beautiful (Pr. 6:25). 

Physical Beauty

On the other hand, God made women attractive to men, like a blossoming flower entices a bee. Usually, the first item that draws a guy to a lady is her good looks. Beauty so magnetizes males that Scripture even made laws for Jewish men who were captivated by beautiful female prisoners that filed past. Deuteronomy 21:11 says: “Suppose you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you are attracted to her and want to marry her”.

Scripture usually speaks about a woman’s beauty in positive terms and as a blessing from God. “Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance” (Gn. 29:17). “Queen Vashti…was lovely to look at” (Est. 1:11). “[Sarah was] a woman beautiful in appearance” (Gn. 12:11). “[Abigail] was discerning and beautiful” (1Sm. 25:3). [Tamar] was a beautiful woman” (2Sm. 14:27). “[Esther] had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at” (Est. 2:7). “In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters.” (Job 42:15). Solomon said to his wife: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one…your face is lovely” (SS. 2:13-14). 

In Genesis 24:16, Rebekah is called “very beautiful”. Literally, she was so good to look at, guys couldn’t stop staring at her. To this day, wives desire to look beautiful for their husbands.

But often, somewhere after the dating years and the half decade of marriage, physical beauty stops being important. The man’s eyes rove to greener pastures. The woman ceases to care. In the village where I live, young women lose their beauty quickly—not surprising since teenage pregnancy is sky high and marriage is rare. 

The rule of nature is that men hunt beauty and women beautify themselves to be hunted. I’m not living in fantasy world. Life is tough. Kids get sick. The commute gets longer. Chemo takes away beautiful hair. But the general rule is that a woman will look beautiful longer for a man who is dedicated to her. 

Thus, husbands should take an active role in keeping their wives physically beautiful. Consider the following ways.

How a Husband Can Help His Wife’s Beauty

First, stay faithful to her. If you do, the chances are high that she’ll work hard to keep herself looking good. Wives often trade in their heels and lip gloss for jogging pants and slippers when they see their husband’s eyes roaming. So love her forever, as the Bible commands (1Cor. 13:7). 

Second, help her become holy. Wash her in the Scriptures as Ephesians 5:26 says. When a woman is happy, Spirit-filled, and growing in the Word—which the Bible calls “imperishable beauty” (1Pt. 3:4)—she becomes not just pretty on the inside, but more attractive on the outside as well. Proverbs 15:13: “A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.”

Third, complement her. Tell your wife she takes your breath away. A wife puts greater effort into her looks if she knows her husband cares and notices. Solomon whispered to his bride: “You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you” (SS 4:7). In modern terms: “It’s unfair how good you look right now.”

Fourth, keep yourself in shape. A wife won’t work hard at beauty if her man has a BMI over 40 and a gut hanging over his belt. Paul said a little physical training is good (1Tm. 4:8). 

Fifth, work hard. If you use a silver dinner fork for digging out stumps, don’t be surprised if the utensil loses its beauty. Yes, the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 worked hard, but a man who overworks his wife will quickly see her beauty fade. This might mean encouraging her stay at home with the kids. But women easily stress over finances, so husbands should labour to provide well by sweating for the family. 

Sixth, keep her accountable. This point shouldn’t be controversial. Just as a good wife asks her husband about his viewing habits, a good husband should help his wife abstain from bad foods and foolish patterns. 

Finally, don’t compare her to others. Job said he made a covenant with his eyes not to look with lust upon another woman (Job 31:1). Wives will give up when they see their husbands have eyes for another. 

Conclusion

God made women beautiful. He formed them as the final capstone of creation. Though men should prize the beauty of the heart far more than the beauty of a woman’s face or figure, physical attraction still matters. Dedicated husbands must perform their part to keep their wives beautiful.