Proverbs 11:22-23
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good;
the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
In the ancient Near East, women wore nose rings as accessories (and this trend is back in vogue today!). The nose ring tastefully accentuated beauty and was a symbol of wealth. Pigs, on the other hand, were unclean animals, and those who followed the Lord were forbidden from consuming them as food. Pigs live in the mud and eat just about anything to excess. How foolish to take a beautiful accessory and put it in a pig’s nose, saturated with dirt and dung. Worse still is the beautiful woman who fails to use sound judgment in her dress and behavior. This woman goes against God’s plan for her sexuality, and by flaunting herself, she becomes unattractive and ugly to the Lord. Avoid focusing merely on your external appearance, and invest in inward beauty instead. Don’t unwisely expose your body to gain the attention of others. True daughters of the King employ modesty and dignity in their appearance, actions, and attitudes.