Doctor agreed, adding, “And so not everybody becomes luminous.”
“I don’t think you necessarily get wise as you get older. I don’t think you necessarily become luminous and radiant,” Doctor continued. That is why women need to pursue “the radiance of Christ that really only comes through a life lived with him.”
This pursuit involves “spending time” in God’s presence “but also pushing against, intentionally, the strong currents of the culture.”
For a biblical view of beauty, the women mentioned that Scripture tells women to pursue the “imperishable beauty” of “a gentle and quiet spirit.” They also referenced the beauty of Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet and learning from him and the fact that the Bible says that Jesus himself was not physically attractive.
Moreover, far from becoming useless as we age, we still have the ability to serve God and to worship him with fewer distractions and temptations. And because of Jesus’ resurrection, we know we will one day have redeemed bodies, a truth that gives us hope now as our current bodies decline.
“One of the responsibilities for all of us, anybody listening, is to age in a way that shows how to pursue the better thing. And our resources of time, money, energy—all these are limited,” Doctor said. “And so what are we spending them on? Are we spending them on the pursuit of the perishable beauty? Because, come what may, no matter how hard we rail against it, the beauty will perish. It will fade.”
“Any number of spiritual disciplines could be applied to help us to combat the cultural messages about what matters most,” said Wilkin. Regarding what she would advise a woman in her 20s, Wilkin said, “I really think there’s not much more potent for leading a self-forgetful life than a life of service.”
“Everything around us is telling us the primary use of the female body is decorative,” she said, “but the Scriptures are saying, ‘Nope, the primary use of the female body is to be useful, to be an embodiment of something.’ And so, you know, sure, get a pedicure, but, like, picture those feet going to help too.”
This way of living is not about giving up makeup, hair dye, or finding a certain line not to cross, said Wilkin, but about “what’s your motive and what characterizes you?…How is the majority of your time being spent?”
“At a bare minimum, aging requires great courage—great, great courage,” said Wilkin, especially for people who have not faced “a ton of adversity” in their lives.
