Let me give you a little background of why I'm blogging about this. Tonight Megan and I went skating, just for fun because she hasn't been since she was about 13, anyways we had a great time, it was close to time to go when all of a sudden this song came on and these pre-teen and adolescent girls flocked to the floor and started "dancing." Honestly I'm not sure what you'd call it but it was disturbing at best. These little girls were out there dropping it to floor, shaking their hips around, and moving their bodies the way 9-any age girl shouldn't be moving their bodies. It made my heart so sad for them. Many would say it's all in good fun, but to me there's nothing fun about girls seeking and striving to be this perfect image of a woman from such a young age. As I sat there and watched in shock and honestly a little bit of horror I wondered why they were out there degrading themselves. I'm still not entirely sure, but society and mass media clearly labels what "beauty" is. You have to have legs like Hedi Klum, a backside like Jennifer Lopez, lips like Angelina Jolie, and the list goes on and on.
Not only does your body have to look a certain way and be a certain size, but the world also tells you your beauty is defined by how shorts your shorts are or how much cleavage you show. I don't get it. It doesn't make sense. Beauty is so much more than that, and it broke my heart tonight to see girls wearing tiny tank tops and shorts that barely covered anything just so they would be deemed beautiful in the eyes of others. I understand, what girl doesn't want people to think she's beautiful? For women I think that's a natural desire. What's so skewed in our society is the real and true definition of beauty.
My hearts desire tonight was to tell those girls that there is God who loves them and thinks they're beautiful regardless of what size they are, what clothes they're wearing, or the amount of make-up on their face. I'm so thankful that God is the creator and designer of true beauty.
When I got home I was reading through my Bible, searching through commentary and praying that God would reveal what it truly means to be beautiful, because I'm also guilty of placing too much emphasis on physical appearance. It's an easy trap to fall into as a woman. Anyways, this is what God's revealed to me so far.
- Psalm 139:4 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
- God created us and we are created in His image. I had to let my mind simmer on that one for a little bit. We are created in the image of a holy, perfect, and powerful God. That's beauty. God doesn't make mistakes, He makes masterpieces.
- 1 Samuel 16:7 "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
- The Lord looks at the heart, He isn't concerned with your physical apperance. God doesn't define beauty by physical attributes, but rather by the condition of our hearts.
- Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."
- Attractive physical appearance can be here today and gone tomorrow. Again, God doesn't define beauty based on looks, but in this verse He tells us, a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. A woman who is in awe of God is considered beautiful by the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:3-4 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it 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."
- This verse tells me that God doesn't define beauty by name brands, or whether my eyeliner is perfect, but He deems me beautiful because of my spirit. I don't think this verse is saying that it's not okay or fun to look cute and get dressed up, but God is telling us that getting cute and wearing a nice dress doesn't equate true beauty.
While I do think God wants us to take care of bodies and take pride in the way we look, I don't believe our size, shape, hair, make-up, or clothes SHOULD what we use to define as beauty. If we're going to change the way young girls think they have to dress and behave to be considered beautiful in our world, we as believers have to shift from societies view on beauty to the Lord's.
My prayer is that women of all ages, young and old will see themselves as beautiful because they are made in the image of a living and powerful God. And, that in spite of what society thinks and mass media says they'll know God has deemed beautiful and that should always be more than enough. My prayer also is that godly woman, especially myself, can show others that true beauty lies within your soul in the quiet place where God and your spirit dwell, not in physical appearance.
I love Jonny Diaz's song, "More Beautiful You." If you haven't heard it, or even if you have I encourage you listen and be encouraged by the message! The lyrics are so true, there could never be a more beautiful you. God doesn't make mistakes!
Good word
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