She was a potential client who had driven out to our small, country home from her large, suburban home. She was a woman about my age. (I tried to tell myself that she was younger, and that was the reason she looked so much better than me!). I was so impressed with her appearance. Her outfit was polished- not overdone, just understated and casual. Her perfect, silver hair was stylish. Her shoes and handbag matched. Her jewelry was on trend. Just enough make-up. She was trim and athletic.

However, my initial good impression of her began to shift as she talked. Something ugly began to mar her perfect appearance. Her conversation with us was completely self-centered. In every story she told, she was the hero. Every person she mentioned got only a cameo appearance in the conversation. The topic was clearly herself. After two hours of mostly a monologue, it was time for her to leave. (Whew!). As I walked her to her car, she asked, “What did you say your name was?”.

Today, several younger ladies and I looked at a Bible story about a beautiful woman. She was stunning and garnered attention everywhere she went. Even age didn’t diminish her attractiveness.
This beauty was beautiful not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. In fact, her outward beauty was enhanced by her inner attitude. She had inner calm, which radiated from her. She didn’t feel the need to make her feelings known with drama and volume. She had a gentle and quiet spirit which was displayed in her relationship with her husband. She wholeheartedly cooperated with his leadership. Can you guess who we studied? Yes, Sarah!

“Your beauty should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their trust in God used to adorn themselves. They accepted the authority of their husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed her husband, Abraham.” 1 Peter 3:4-6

Admittedly, there were times when she stumbled significantly, tripping up her husband as well. But in the New Testament she is commended and presented as an example for women of faith to follow. (I’m so thankful God forgives our poor choices and looks at us with kind eyes!)

Sarah uncomplainingly accompanied her husband wherever he decided to go, necessitating numerous moves. She certainly could have objected when Abraham decided to take her away from her comfortable life in urban Ur, a center of culture and commerce. She could have resisted when he later moved her away from even the outlying city of Haran, where she had adjusted to less. But she willingly accompanied him as he became a Bedouin living in tents and tending animals instead of enjoying the advantages of city life. She must have missed her family and friends. In this new, rough country, she was a foreigner isolated from the women in the local towns.  Yet she remained a dedicated wife, always concerned for her husband’s welfare.

She didn’t insist on calling the shots, but acquiesced to her husband, honoring him as leader even when it cost her heartache through no fault of her own.  She is our example of entrusting ourselves to God. She trusted God for her outcomes when her husband failed to do the right thing. In the same way, Jesus entrusted himself to God when people failed to do the right thing. Jesus suffered unjustly, yet he didn’t retaliate or threaten. So husbands and wives, also, must not retaliate (pay back) or threaten (If you don’t do what I want, I’ll _____.)

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
He never sinned,
 nor ever deceived anyone. (Isaiah 53:9)
He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
 nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
He left his case in the hands of God,
who always judges fairly.” 1 Peter 2:21-23

Husbands are commanded to be considerate of their wives and treat them with respect. (Something Abraham failed to do on at least two important occasions.)
“Husbands, in the same way (as Jesus) be considerate (or understanding) as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect.” 1 Peter 3:7

And wives are told to put themselves under the leadership of their husbands. (Sarah did this well.) Both are to be sympathetic to each other, tender, humble, unified, and loving. We aren’t to insult each other, but do good to each other, and seek peace.

“all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
 and their lips from deceitful speech.  They must turn from evil and do good;
 they must seek peace and pursue it.” Peter giving instructions on how to get along with each other, quoting Psalm 34:12-14 in 1 Peter 3:8-11

Sarah’s one stumbling point was her disappointment over not being able to have children. This weighed heavily on her, especially perhaps, because she knew God wanted to bless them with a godly lineage. But she was unable to bear offspring for Abraham. But, in old age, when conceiving was impossible, by faith she counted on God to do an impossible thing for her.

“By faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, received power (dynamis) to conceive (elaben… katabolen spermatos), because she considered him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11

The phrase literally translates to “be given the power to receive the laying down of seed” (or “foundation of seed”). Sarah received the divine ability to receive the seed (conceive), overcoming her physical infertility. She also received the power to establish a foundation or lineage. It implies an active reception rather than passive acceptance. She believed God was willing and able to fulfill his promise to them that they would have a child in spite of the impossibility of it.

Sarah is our example of faith in God that produces inner beauty, quietness, and gentleness, combined with supernatural power.