I've been thinking a lot about beauty lately. The physical appearance kind of beauty. The kind that we as women strive for....admit it or not. The kind that turns heads, makes magazine covers, lands modeling deals. The kind that we all want but feel we don't have enough of. The kind that makes that boy ask for your number.
The physical, external beauty.
And then I think of the inner. And how it isn't always as easy to see, But it's there.
And it surely will become evident, just give it a little time.
And I think about how uneven the emphasis on inner and outer beauty is in our culture. How we're taught by our media and culture to constantly fight and strive and work towards being "beautiful."
And how it's not necessarily bad at all to want to be physically attractive and beautiful - but how the beauty of our hearts is neglected. How easy it is (and I'm speaking from experience here) to fall into wanting to attract attention and turn heads. How easy it is to focus all your attention on outer beauty instead of inner. To spend an hour in front of the mirror curling your hair, but forget to pray and spend time with the lover of your soul. How easy it is to fall into dressing in a way that attracts attention - because, why not? Everyone else is doing it. Choosing clothes that are a little too tight, a little too low-cut.
Girls, I know how hard it is - balancing outer and inner beauty. This fight we have chosen to take up against a culture that screams worldly, temporary, and rather worthless values, distracting us from our heart's goal. The hard but worth it choice to focus on God and say "no" to worldly things. The choice to dress modestly yet still being fashionable and trendy, creative and fun. I struggle because i can always see loads of things about myself i'd like to tweak and change. How my teeth could be whiter, or i could lose some weight here and there, how i would finally be happy if i had perfect skin.. and I'm finding that the only way we can be successful in our striving for the goal of attaining inner beauty rather than just outer is this: to realize who calls us beautiful in the first place.
When I realize this unbelievable truth - that He loves me and calls me beautiful, everything makes sense. It all falls into place. And when I realize He calls me beautiful - no, not for my pretty face or good looks, but for my heart. Who I am. For my soul. It is the most freeing, precious, and wonderful thing in the world.
Who defines your beauty? The measurements, colors, styles, and standards of Hollywood and our perverted media? Or the Lord? The One who created you, who made your heart, who breathed life into you so that you are here this very day?
Let Him love on you. You are His daughter, His princess. His joy. The apple of His eye. He loves you to the moon and back. And He calls you beautiful!
In light of this - who cares what anyone thinks. That critical eye. The culture and media that objectifies women, setting unrealistic standards using Photoshop, heavy makeup, and severe dieting. Listen to the voice that truly matters. Listen to Him - He calls you "Beautiful One."
He doesn't love you because you are beautiful. Or because you were popular in high school. He doesn't love you because you can whip up a delicious batch of cookies. He doesn't love you because you have a beautiful singing voice or because you can write the most beautiful poetry. He doesn't love you because you get good grades. He doesn't love you because you are a good friend or because you serve the homeless. He doesn't love you less because of what you did last week in secret. He doesn't love you less because of what she said to you. Or what he did to hurt you. He doesn't love you less because you dropped the ball last year. He doesn't love you less because of what they think of you.
He just loves you. Because you are His. His little girl.
There is nothing you can do to make Him love you more. Nothing you can do to make Him love you less. He just loves you.
This love is yours.
He loves you
and "Love never ends."
-1 Corinthians 13:13
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