jewelry on a pig

Proverbs 11:22: “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”

This is one of my favorite proverbs. I think of it when I see news of Lindsay Lohan or Miley Cyrus. I think of it when I see ads for the Victoria’s Secret Christmas Fashion show. I think of it when I hear women swear.

It’s true: crass and brassy behavior, or flaunting and taunting using the beauty God gave them, makes the most attractive women much less so. Not that it diminishes their value – the gold ring in the pig’s snout still is worth it’s weight in, well, gold. Beautiful but tactless and graceless women are still God’s image bearers and have great intrinsic worth just by being human.

But ungodly behavior diminishes what should be a wonderful creation meant to bring glory to God.

I’m not blind to the fact that this proverb can be interpreted and applied in a gender-neutral sense. Certainly men can detract from their attractiveness by their arm-pit scratching and Speedo wearing. Discretion is the most flattering accessory for anyone.

But I think men have other weaknesses like rage and abuse of power that they’re more likely to exhibit to the un-glory of God. Women are less prone to those, but perhaps the temptation to use those things that make men stupid is too much sometimes.

The bottom line for all of us is this: we’re at our best when we behave the most like Christ. Otherwise we’re like jewelry on a pig.