Normally I don’t notice real estate signs. After all, I’m not in the market for a new house. But the other day on my way home from the store a sign caught my eye. Actually, it was the smaller sign on top of the sign.

It said, “I’m gorgeous inside.”

My first thought? That must be one ugly house!

I couldn’t resist. I made a sharp right turn, sending soup cans rolling across the back of the van. I cruised through the neighborhood and found the house. Turns out, I had totally misjudged it.

The house was nice. Maybe it lacked a little curb-appeal, but it certainly wasn’t the dump I’d pictured. I wondered what it looked like inside. Was it really gorgeous? I imagined that cozy home pleading with potential buyers as they drove by. “Please, just give me a chance. You’d be surprised if you’d take a closer look.”

Suddenly, a strange thought went through my mind. What if people came with signs like that? 

We live in a world obsessed with physical appearance. I remember my adolescent years when I went through an awkward stage. Okay, I went through several awkward stages. I had my share of bad perms. I wore wire-framed glasses. My teeth were crooked. And I hated my freckles.

Back then, I didn’t know what God had to say about judging ourselves (and others) by their appearance.

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

You’ve probably heard the expression, “beauty is more than what meets the eye.” I think that’s true. I’ve seen a lot of “beautiful” people who look gorgeous at first glance. Then, after a closer look they became very unattractive. A pretty face is nothing if you have an ugly heart.

Now that I’m 40-something and the mom of three girls, I want to remind them to focus more on their inner beauty. But it’s tough to teach a lesson that I’m still learning.

When I spot that occasional (gasp!) gray hair or when our bathroom light shines a little too brightly, revealing another wrinkle – I mean laugh line – I’m tempted to scream, “Somebody help me! I need more curb-appeal!”

But it’s easy for me to see the qualities that make my daughters beautiful. Compassion. Kindness. Creativity. Determination. A witty sense of humor. Curiosity. Courage.

I want my girls to understand what truly makes them beautiful. I want them to take pride in their accomplishments instead of their appearance. But most of all, I want to tell their future boyfriends this …

Take time to get to know her. She’s more than her appearance. Look a little closer – you’ll be surprised at what you see. Because she’s not only beautiful on the outside, she’s gorgeous on the inside.