This is what you must do: be beautiful.

Beautiful without make-up and a face-lift.

Beautiful without super-white teeth and hair replacements.

Beautiful without Nike, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.

Live beautifully, act beautifully.

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2 v 12)

Peter uses the word ‘good’ but it seems rather weak though the translation from ‘kalos’ is its meaning.

However it means this, ‘beautiful, good, excellent in its nature, genuine, honourable’ and it also means, ‘handsome, admirable, beautiful to look at’.

Ever met an ugly Christian?

It has nothing to do with how they look. But how they speak, how they respond and their decisive actions in the world they live.

In Peter’s generation the followers of Jesus would be accused of many things. For example the word, ‘atheists’ was first used for the Christians because they would not worship idols. In our world we still struggle with wanting to fit into the neighbourhood and work place and yet not compromise on our behaviour. Peter says in this difficult world of ours, be beautiful.

Can people see the beauty of Jesus in you? Can they hear the words of Jesus from your lips? Can they see the servanthood of Jesus in your actions?

This is the meaning of kalos. It is kalos that will lead them to become Christians themselves and not face judgment but His glory.

Be beautiful today. On social media be real but be beautiful. Let your world see you and give glory to God.