Many women today spend a lot of money on themselves. They spend hundreds a year on getting their hair cut and maybe colored. They spend a ton on clothing, makeup, jewelry, shoes, spa days, meals out, facials, face lifts, special aging creams and lotions, Botox, breast implants, new iPhones, and so on. Our culture caters to women by appealing to youth, fashion, and pleasure. And it seems they are successful, even among Christian women.

Spending money on some of these things isn’t necessarily wrong such as clothing, makeup, jewelry, and shoes BUT we are not to be conformed to this world nor look like this world. We are to adorn ourselves with modest clothing. This doesn’t just mean modest in covering up, but modest in the amount of money we spend on ourselves. MODERATE: Not excessive or extreme; not extravagant.

Let me tell you something, women, it’s perfectly okay to grow older. This is God’s perfect plan for us. We had our time being young and some of you still are, but we don’t need to seek to look young as we grow older. Yes, I am all for staying in shape and doing what you can to look pretty, but when it costs a lot of money, it becomes frivolous and unnecessary. Shopping is an addiction for many these days. The momentary high they get from buying something fades quickly.

When you go shopping for clothes, do you really need more clothes? How full is your closet? How many clothes do you need? Get rid of the clothes you aren’t wearing and give them away. Don’t hoard clothes you don’t use. Wear your clothes out. You don’t need a new outfit for everyday of the month. Most women spend way too much money on clothes and shoes. I only need three pairs of shoes (my walking shoes, sandals, and church shoes), but this has never been my struggle. We don’t need more stuff!

I color and cut my own hair. It cost a lot when I used to get it cut professionally. I was told some secrets to cutting hair, and it’s easy! I may go gray one day, but my husband likes my hair colored and so do I. I have lots of wrinkles and age spots. This is part of growing old. I am thankful to grow old and have these! It’s part of life. People notice how you treat them far more than how you look. Work on treating others with kindness and love. This is what God cares about.

About five years ago, I decided to stop wearing jewelry except for my wedding ring. I love the simplicity this has brought! I didn’t wear any makeup for an entire month while I had shingles and Covid in December. Now, if I am not going out, I don’t wear makeup. I sit in the morning sun every morning instead! However, if you love wearing jewelry and makeup and your husband likes it, go for it but don’t overdo it.

For my wedding, I didn’t have anyone do my hair, makeup, or nails. I did it all myself. None of these things ever were appealing to me. For one of my children’s weddings, a woman was doing all of our hair. When I showed my husband, he told me it looked like a bird’s nest was in my hair so my sister quickly redid it. 🙂 I have always preferred the more natural, simply look. Fancy and extravagant have never appealed to me.

“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” (1 Corinthians 9:25) TEMPERATE: “Moderate in the indulgences of the appetites, passions, and pleasures.” Let us work to become temperate in all things, women, and remind ourselves that godliness with contentment is great gain. This world and its pleasures are all passing away. Store your treasures in heaven.

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
1 Peter 3:3,4