As I prepare to speak on the topic of “Modesty” to female high school students of PCGS, I found this commentary by Philip Graham Ryken on 1 Timothy 2:10 with respect to true feminine beauty:

God’s standards for feminine beauty… stand diametrically opposed to the standards of modern culture… The world says beauty is only skin deep, but God turn things inside out. He says that beauty comes from the spiritual life of the soul…

If a woman wants to become beautiful to God, here is the fashion statement she ought to make: adorn yourself “with what is proper for women who profess godliness–with good works” (1 Tim. 2:10). Some of the good deeds Paul has in mind are listed in chapter 5: bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, caring for the afflicted, and devoting oneself to every good work (1 Tim. 5:10). Theses are God’s beauty tips for women. A woman who adorns herself with good works always has suitable attire…

The way to become more attractive is through godliness, not gaudiness. A woman is made beautiful by what she does, not what she wears…

When a Christian woman does look in the mirror, she should look for good works, which are the proof of genuine faith in Jeus Christ…

Good works are what a man should look for in a woman. When a man notices a woman who is devoted to the Lord, who gives good counsel, who handles her professional work with integrity, who loves children, who cares for the sick, and who feeds the poor, he should not say, “She’s not all good-looking, but she really loves the Lord!” Instead, he should say, “Now there is a beautiful woman!” A woman who is beautiful in the eyes of God ought to be beautiful in the eyes of godly men.

1 Timothy, Reformed Expository Commentary (P&R Publishing, 2007), 84-86.