The Impressive Factor

Strolling through the check-out lane, the glossy cover of Seventeen doesn’t arrest my interest. The magazine I would be tempted to open isn’t in the racks, because it doesn’t exist. GodlyGirl, it’s called.

There are beauty tips galore within those fascinating pages. "Top 10 Breathtaking, Must-Have Character Traits." "How To Get A Gentle, Quiet Spirit In Three Easy Steps." "Insider Secrets To Eye-Catching Righteousness." "Helpful Hints: Learning The Art Of Cheerful Servitude." "43 Ways You Can Start Becoming The Perfect Help-Mate Today, Before You Meet Mr. Right!"

It’s a fact: Godliness is highly attractive, deeply respected, and greatly admired. We honor those that possess it. Proverbs 31:10 says that a virtuous woman is worth far more than rubies—who wouldn’t desire to be lauded that way? I’d rather have my character praised than receive a flattering remark on my appearance, any day.

And yet, with so much stress placed upon inner beauty, something is easily overlooked. Godliness can be just one more route to gain attention and approval.

How so? Take this real-life situation, for example. It's a common occurrence at our house.

I’m sitting at my desk, doing my homework studiously. Suddenly, the door flings open, and my little sisters run into the room. They want to talk with me, play with me, or ask me questions. Awesome. There's just one difficulty-- I’m engrossed in my work. Their presence is a minor blip on my radar screen of annoyances, but a blip nonetheless. A response is required.

If any of you were watching me, I would smile sweetly, pat their darling little heads, kiss their adorable little cheeks effusively, kindly sacrifice my time for their dear little sakes, thank the precious blessings for interrupting me, and then return to my studies—after singing a hymn, praying over them, and gently dropping them a nugget or three of priceless biblical wisdom. Okay, not really, but you get the general idea.

Alone, however, there is no one to impress. No one to dazzle. I can easily mumble something about “not now”, cast a significant look in their direction (by “significant”, I mean “daggered”), and then proceed to ignore the impudent creatures who dared to disturb Her Highness. None of you would ever know; my reputation wouldn’t suffer any stains.

These everyday, private choices will only known by me, my Maker, and my immediate family members. And yet, it is these everyday, private choices that reveal my real character. Remove the pressure to impress, and you're left with the brazen truth.

We may not obsess over our physical appearances, but obsession over character is no better, when our motives are the same. If you’ve ever said or done something, knowing perfectly well in the back of your mind that it looked… well, that it looked really good, then perhaps you know what I’m talking about.

We may as well screech, Look at me! I’m so beautiful inside! When you get right down to it, that's the issue. Three words: "Look at me." Not "Look at Christ", but "Look at me." Our hearts can easily be filled with proud, attention-seeking thoughts while our mouths are busily forming words that avow the greatness and glory of God.

In Matthew 6, Christ warns the Pharisees against this very kind of false godliness:

“Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

If there is a discrepancy between our eagerness for godliness in public, and our eagerness for godliness in private, a heart check is in order. GodlyGirl can stay on the shelf where it belongs.

Growing Divas

“‘Look, we’re reading an adult magazine,’ Eleanor told her mother, gleefully waving a copy of People with a desultory-looking Britney Spears on its cover.

Eleanor was in the bubble-gum-colored pedicure lounge…with her 3 ½-year-old sister and a half-dozen or so friends. The girls were celebrating her birthday with mani’s, pedi’s and mini-makeovers with light makeup and body art — glitter-applied stars, lightning bolts and, of course, hearts.” (NYT, 2008)

A salon similar to the one Eleanor visited is located near my house, and I’ve often noticed it because of the limo parked outside. (It’s actually impossible to ignore—since the limo is pink.) I wasn’t sure girls actually threw birthday parties there, but according to the New York Times, I'm out of the loop. This local salon is only a fraction of a hot national trend: Beauty treatments for 6 to 9 year old girls.

Al Mohler commented on the issue:

“Some observers relate this all to the ‘KGOY’ trend – ‘Kids Getting Older Younger.’ But in this case it is not just a matter of getting older faster, but of being tragically misled about the purpose of life and the truth of beauty.”

Bingo. It’s not a problem of girls maturing too quickly—but that girls are learning to be obsessed with outward beauty.

This makes me wonder how I can personally be a better example to younger girls around me. I have little sisters who also have friends. Knowing that they are facing the same pressure to conform, how can I best serve them? How can I help them to develop a right view of beauty? What priorities am I communicating in my own behavior?

Fashion-Smashion

Once upon a time, I remember when it was complimentary if someone told you they liked your skirt or your necklace. It meant they found your good taste worth remarking about. Now, I think the sentiment behind many compliments has died by method of overkill. The traditional greeting of "Hello, how are you?" is too often replaced by, "Hey! You look so cuuuute! I love your shirt!"

I have nothing against compliments when they are sincere, but I do confess to missing the good ol' "how are you" which considered the friend's wellbeing--and not only their clothes. I wonder, what the perspective of a Christian young woman should be concerning fashion. How much should we care about what we wear? Is it worldly to have an interest in styles?

The other day, a study of Proverbs 31 revealed a characteristic of that virtuous woman that I had never noticed before.The Proverbs 31 woman is said to have clothed her family well--in scarlet, to be exact. She is also spoken of dressing herself in garments of purple. Purple, being the most expensive color to produce, and was the symbol of royalty. Does this mean that the Proverbs 31 woman is of the same caliber as a queen? Or do these verses indicate that she dressed herself and her family creatively, with fine taste? I'm not sure; but I do think that if God saw it appropriate for the Proverbs 31 woman to dress in this way, we can't entirely label the fashion-conscious as being "worldly."

At the same time, those would never dream of appearing out of doors in an outdated pair of jeans are missing the greater, wider world that exists. There is a commendation greater than the praise of their girlfriends. There is a deeper beauty than can be found in the right outfit. As Shakespeare said, "There are more things in Heaven and earth...than are dreamt of in your philosophy." The apostle Paul suffered shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment, all for the sake the of the truth he had found. He said, "Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

As long as the human race wears clothes, they will matter; but as far as caring deeply about them, life is simply too short.

It's tough being a model. Hours of smiling practice, sessions with makeup artists and designers, and bottles of chill pills are required before that fateful traipse down the runway. Her burden is heavy. Although the outfit technically belongs to the designer, it's the model's job to sell it. Will the reporters hail her clothes as quirky or creative? The most imaginative design or faux-pas of the year? Dozens of cameras flash. She must now ignore the little blue spots in her eyes and navigate the return route down the runway, all while flaunting fifteen inch heels. On top of all the stress, she can't even eat. Oh, the pressure...

I'm a model, too, only without the paparazzi. From my position, the easy thing is to criticize other models for their influence: "Why are they popular while I'm...well...me? If I had their position, I'd do a better job of it."

I'm sure you can sympathize, as you've probably met one too; a dynamic model with that special talent to influence people. They're trendsetters. While legend tells of everything King Midas touched turning to gold, everything that person touches becomes hip. Don't ever try solving a disagreement with them by an election. They'll win the popular vote.

You've probably guessed by now that I'm not just referring to fashion models. Attitudes, word choice and even posture can be trends spread by others. We're creatures who love mimicry; some people simply have that special "zing" which causes us to admiringly imitate them. They're unconscious leaders, natural models.

In the past I've looked at friends who meet this criteria and mentally "tsk-ed" them. Can't they see how much influence they possess? Can't they see how many adoring eyes look to them for cues? "Popularity isn't just a fluke; it is gift with a purpose. Trendsetters have the responsibility to spread the right trend," I rant. Who knows how many people have been negatively influenced by bad leaders?

Inwardly I trade places with my friends and imagine how the world would be a better place if such popularity were mine. Yet if I only glanced over my shoulder I would see the face of my little sister. With one self conscious eye on herself and the other fixed on me, I have an audience too.

John Donne was on the right track when he wrote, "No man is an island, entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less." He was dreaming about death at the time; how each death affects humanity as a whole, but the principle applies to the living too. While it's easy to leave the job of role modeling to those with magnetic personalities, no man is an island. Every foot, big or small, leaves a print for others to follow.

1 Timothy 4:12 is so often quoted to prove that "youth matter" to the church: "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." It's pleasant to consider how much influence my actions carry, but I squirm at the command to "set the believers an example." I like being important. I just don't like being responsible for the consequences.

Like it or not, I am a trendsetter. Just as every fashion model to ever strut the runway, I impact the minds of others by what I wear. Am I an example of modesty? Or have I gotten lazy in picking my clothes?

In a way, I possess the power of a radio station in miniature. People hear what I'm saying, flippant words and all. What values am I broadcasting? What words am I using? Will others feel free to gossip if I do it? Am I a walking example of the beauty which comes from the heart?

And the hardest of all--am I being a model of love?

I want to ponder this more often; for instance, in the next five minutes when I run downstairs, maybe I'll bump into my sister. Perhaps she'll ask me to play with her. She might even ask for my help. Then, I'll need to react purposefully.

After all, it's my runway.

"Real Beauty" Wins Film Festival

This past year, Dove launched an advertising campaign entitled the "Campaign for Real Beauty," in which it produced commercials that highlighted the need for self-esteem. One commercial in particular drew attention as it revealed the special effects and airbrushing that contribute to a single advertisement. (See film above, or by clicking here.)

Again making headlines, recently this short film won the Film Grand Prix at the prestigious Cannes Advertising Awards. Alison Leung, a representative of Dove, stated, "We are thrilled that Evolution has been recognized as it will hopefully encourage even more people, especially young girls and women, to watch the film and get involved with our various resources that promote positive self-esteem."

As exciting as it is to see the popular standard of "beauty" challenged and the insecurities girls face finally brought to the limelight, Dove's short answer of promoting "self-esteem" sounds hollow and even trite. Can self-esteem truly provide a solution to the problem of beauty?

A teen girl may tell herself she's beautiful, but in the face of an onslaught of media, her declaration is like treating cancer with Tylenol. Not only is it the wrong medicine, but the results of self-esteem pep talks can be dangerous. Paul Greenberg commented in a recent column: "Have you taken a good look lately at American politics, academia, fashion, journalism and public life in general? It over-runneth with the kind of self-esteem that cometh before a fall. There is such a thing as unearned grace - don't I know it! - but self-esteem is unearned folly. Its fruit is pride, not humility."

To me, the fact that women of all ages are disturbed by what Hollywood considers physically attractive is evidence that the culture doesn't have the answers. Mantras of psychologists, no more than the opinions of marketing advisers or make up artists, can replace the fulfillment bestowed by the Creator of beauty.

Beauty, At Last

There must have been a reason Jesus was a carpenter. Although on the surface it may seem Jesus was simply following His surrogate father, Joseph, into the family business, surely our sovereign God had a purpose in choosing that profession for His Son. Of all occupations, why did He pick carpentry? Why not fishing or farming?

Perhaps it is because Jesus had been a carpenter of hearts since the beginning of time. He was always working at sanding, carving and polishing the hearts of men. It was only fitting that He continue the line of work on earth.

The tale of one of His earlier carpentry projects has survived the ages. The storyline began like a Hollywood production: A simple country boy captured the heart of a nation through a single act of heroism. He was an instant celebrity. But life took a turn for the worst when the country boy's popularity began threatening the king's fragile self esteem. Although he would never dream of usurping the government, in envious fury, the paranoid king sicced assassins on the innocent hero. The glamorous storyline ended there, as the young man spent the following months as a refugee, hunted like an animal, crying out to God to answer why.

Gene Edwards speculated:

"David the sheepherder would have grown up to become King Saul II, except that God cut away the 'Saul' inside David's heart. That operation, by the way, took years and was a brutalizing experience that almost killed the patient.... David accepted this fate. He embraced the cruel circumstances. He lifted no hand nor offered resistance. Nor did he grandstand his piety. Silently, privately, he bore the crucible of humiliation. Because of this he was deeply wounded. His whole inner being was mutilated. His personality was altered. When the gore was over, David was barely recognizable."

In one of the darkest hours of David's life, a transformation took place. Under the steady hand of God, David's scars became beauty marks. His heart was carved away and replaced by a heart after God's own.

This transformation is commonly known as "sanctification," yet it is perhaps better described as a death. It is a dying to self in order to be alive to Christ. C.J Mahaney explained it like this:

"Sanctification is about our obedience. It involves work. Empowered by God's spirit, we strive. We fight sin. We study Scripture and pray, even when we don't feel like it. We flee temptation. We press on; we run hard in the pursuit of holiness. And as we become more and more sanctified, the power of the Gospel conforms us more and more closely, with ever-increasing clarity, to the image of Jesus Christ."

However, sanctification is not an earning of God's love in any way; He has already declared us beautiful by virtue of Christ's blood. Beauty in Christ is given to us upon receiving salvation. Yet the etching of our character and inner beauty takes time to develop.

Two friends have recently challenged me by their stunning inner beauty. One demonstrates maturity beyond her years as she balances her highschool studies with helping care for younger siblings and her Alzheimer's ridden grandfather. The other spends her days running errands and assisting her invalid mother. While these young women's faithfulness is not heralded in the streets, their inner beauty silently radiates as a testimony to God's work in their lives.

My friends would be the first to admit that their sanctification process has been anything but painless. It is not easy to face a mile long "To-Do" list with a smile every morning. The development of inner beauty requires constant peeling and scraping of pride encrusted hearts, and often includes the loss of many a tear. Soren Kierkegaard mused, "God creates everything out of nothing. And everything which God is to use, He first reduces to nothing."

And yet, these dear girls are pressing on. They are encouraged by David's reward; that someday God will set down the sandpaper, dust them off and be able to say: "Ahh, a little beauty, at last."

Sources:

Gene Edwards, A Tale of Three Kings. p.24-25

C.J. Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life. p. 117

Respond:
Do you have any role models (historical figures, friends, parents, relatives, etc.) whose inner beauty shines in the way they live? What have their examples taught you?

Part One//Part Two//Part Three//Part Four

Through The Looking Glass

Elizabeth awoke one morning to discover a nightmare. It began as an ordinary day. She stumbled out of bed, pulled on some clothes and sped to the bathroom, hoping to arrive before Krissy, her little sister awoke and demanded they take turns.

Elizabeth grabbed her toothbrush and was about to put it to her teeth when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. The unearthly reflection caused her to blink, and with a clatter, her toothbrush fell to the floor. Folds of greenish skin wrinkled down her face. Her eyes, normally a light hazel, had become red bulbs bulging from her sockets. “Aah!” she shrieked.

As her fingers cautiously met the scaly folds of her face, a sensation of horror ran through her body. Her face had turned into a Halloween mask overnight, only a hundred times worse. Her long, wavy brown hair had shrunk to only a few spiky strands on her head and a few hairs protruded from her ears. On her arms were pussy white sores that hurt, now that she thought of them.

A knock sounded at the door. “Lizzy, let me in! I need the bathroom too, you know!” It was Krissy. Elizabeth froze. There was no way her sister could see her like this! Throwing a towel over her head, she opened the door, rushed past her little sister and into her own room.

What was happening? What had she done to cause this…this…monster to take over her body? Was it something she ate the night before? She prayed it would not be permanent, whatever it was.

Then, a terrible, sinking feeling came over her. She knew exactly what was going on. This was no monster. At least, this monster was not something new to who she was. This was her Self. The contents of her heart had spilled over to her body. She had now become on the outside what she always was on the inside.

Much to my relief, this is a far-fetched story. Chances are that we will never wake up to find that our faces have turned green or that we resemble a villain from a comic book, but I do wonder what would see if we had a morning like Elizabeth’s. What if we lived in a world where we were inside-out, where our souls were in plain view? What if how beautiful we were depended not upon the shape of our face or our weight, but how much love was in our hearts? Would we be beautiful?

And yet, we do live in a world where our insides are shown outwardly. Proverbs 4:23 says that the heart is the “wellspring of life.” Our lives and our actions all spring from the stuff we allow to grow in our hearts. And is this stuff beautiful? The answer is “no.”

With the amount of arrogance, boastfulness, meanness, lies, and self-satisfaction stored up in my heart, I doubt I would appear any different from Elizabeth’s monster. Jeremiah 17:9 speaks of the state of the human condition: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah continues on to say that although the heart is deceitful, it is not hidden. “’I the Lord search the heart, and test the mind, to give each man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

To say God’s beauty stands in contrast with our ugliness would be an understatement. Comparing Him to us would be like comparing a rainbow with mud. There is no comparison. Christ—who is God in human form—is so inwardly beautiful that we would fall to our knees at a glimpse of His heart.

He doesn’t flatter us. Christ knows exactly how ugly we are. Yet, in His death for us, the wickedness that formerly covered us like pussy, oozing sores is healed the very moment we repent and place our faith in Christ. We become beautiful in the eyes of God. Not just kind-of-pretty-but-in-need-of-work; we become radiantly stunning. When God looks at us, He sees the glowing purity of His Son. We may bury our head in shame at all of our faults—but no matter what we do, God sees utter perfection.

And what does He now call us? No longer are we inner monsters. With Christ shining through us, we are given a new name: His Bride.

Part One//Part Two//Part Three//Part Four

More Than Your Average Miss Universe

What defines physical beauty? Is it a certain eye color, skin type or chin length? What factors cause one person to bear taunts from classmates while another is crowned Miss Universe? And why have human beings been created so differently? Philosophers, scientists, and a certain missionary have each asked a form of this question.
One proposed answer is the scientific theory of "Averageness," founded by Sir Francis Galton in 1883. At the time, it was thought there may be certain facial characteristics common for criminals. For instance, all criminals might share large noses or crooked grins, or squinty eyes and cleft chins. Sir Francis was determined to find out once and for all. His hypothesis had possibilities; if it were true, we could judge if a person engaged in illegal activities simply by looking at him. Although nowadays we may call this "stereotyping" and a scary thought, in 1883 it was considered plausible.

After piecing together the noses and eyes of many a male criminal into a composite photograph, the result was a face that was surprisingly...handsome. Though Sir Francis could never provide evidence for a specific criminal stereotype, he did spark an idea:

What if it is the most average men and women that are considered the most beautiful? What if people are considered "ugly" simply because they look different? Thus, the theory of averageness was born.

Further scientific study showed that although averageness isn't the only deciding factor of a person's physical attractiveness, it is important. More composite images, such as those of the Miss Universe 2005 contestants, reveal those considered physically cream of the crop often possess similar characteristics. With narrow noses, high cheekbones and wide smiles, some of the Miss Universe composite images look like identical twins. According to the theory of Averageness, "Beautiful people" look alike.

What is the moral of this story? If you wish to be beautiful, science says, be born average. Or, if you don't have that luxury, try your best to conform.

And yet, science's answer to "the beauty question" seems a bit too simplistic. It explains what humans find attractive, but is that necessarily the same thing as true beauty? Given an answer that is only skin deep, we are still left scratching our heads.

One night, my friend, Daria and I stumbled upon an important clue to the true nature of beauty. In a moment of desperate boredom, we had decided upon the oh-so-nerdy "game" of "philosophizing." The point of the game is to argue philosophically about a topic you know nothing about. And win.
I came up with the first question. “Okay, Dar. Here it is: ‘What is beauty?’”
She rolled her eyes. “Great. You pick a hard question and I’m supposed to answer it?”
“Basically…yes.”
“Okay...do you want me to define beauty in people or in things?”
“Define it in....” I struggled for a challenging subject. My eyes caught the pencil holder on Daria’s desk, which gave me an idea. “Define beauty in a pair of scissors.”
“Scissors aren’t beautiful!” she cried indignantly.
“How do you know? What makes a pair of scissors beautiful?”
Daria grabbed the pair of scissors on her desk. “They’re…uh…scissors are beautiful because of how well they function.”
After a moment I asked, “So...if they work the way their maker wanted them to work, then they’re beautiful?”
Although most arguments-for-the-sake-of-arguing are without substance, I think my friend and I discovered a key idea that extends much deeper than a pair of scissors. Beauty isn't about the eye of the beholder. It's about the eye of the Creator.

Scissors are "beautiful" when they accomplish the purpose of its maker. If they cut well, they've done their job. In the same way, God has designed us specifically to carry out a certain purpose. The Psalmist expressed this when he sang,

"For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.”

It may be hard to believe at times, especially when we look in the mirror first thing in the morning, but our looks are not an accident. God created us with deliberate intricacy. He has not given everyone the body of a supermodel, because I doubt His purpose is for everyone to be a supermodel. However, every hair and freckle was given for a reason.

In her book, Let Me Be a Woman, Elisabeth Elliot tells of Gladys, a young woman who realized this truth:

“You have heard me tell of Gladys Aylward…she told how when she was a child she had two great sorrows. One, that while all of her friends had beautiful golden hair, hers was black. The other, that while her friends were still growing, she stopped. She was about four feet ten inches tall. But when at last she reached the country to which God had called her to be a missionary, she stood on the wharf in Shanghai and looked around at the people to whom He called her.
‘Every single one of them,’ she said, ‘had black hair. And every single one of them had stopped growing when I did. And I said, ‘Lord God, You know what You’re doing!’”

We may never have a moment like Gladys Aylward's, in which we see clearly the reason for our design. But we may safely say that God has given our bodies as tools to accomplish His purpose; and when His purpose is fulfilled in us...it's a beautiful thing.

Sources:

• Miss Universe composite images can be found here.

Part One//Part Two//Part Three//Part Four

You're Such a Doll

Barbie has been in the news for a long time, maintaining celebrity status for over fifty years. Yet in spite of her age, not a wrinkle has formed on her face. With her continual smile, glossy blond locks, sparkling blue eyes and size two waistline, it is no wonder she attracted such a boyfriend as Ken. The couple remained together for years; touring the United States in their various RV's, cruise ships, ponies and sports cars. (Of course, Barbie is also enormously wealthy.)

As the envy of many girls, Barbie has not only become a celebrity but an icon to which women have aspired. Saying a girl “looks like Barbie” is a compliment. However, a groundbreaking 1997 edition of Health magazine concluded that appeasing the Barbie image is impossible for most women. The magazine revealed the average woman as about 5'4" and weighing approximately 145 pounds. On the other hand, Barbie's thin figure consists of being a tall 6'0" and weighing in at only 101 pounds.

Above: Barbie vs. Average Woman (Click for larger image.)

It doesn't require a Ph.D to notice she is grossly underweight and possibly victim of an eating disorder. The same year Health published its article, Barbie experienced plastic surgery, resulting in a slightly expanded waist.

However noble the attempt to "reform" Barbie's body, a re-molding of the doll cannot change the way women think. It’s a fact: human beings are fools for beauty, especially women. We want the admiration that comes with being considered beautiful, no matter the cost. As mirrors look on tauntingly, some women have resorted to damaging their bodies with excessive diet pills, purging, and even starvation. Studies indicate that seven million American women have an eating disorder, and 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of twelve and twenty-five. Half of girls between the ages of eleven and thirteen consider themselves overweight, and 80% of thirteen year olds have tried to lose weight. Beauty is serious business.

And yet despite its influence on women, beauty is not a solid thing. America’s obsession with skinny is only a recent addition to a standard of beauty which has evolved throughout the decades. For example, actresses of the 1940's and 50's sported neon red lipstick. It was classy. It was sophisticated. The fad was given a decent burial in the 1960's as a new idea of "beauty" was pursued.

Above: A vintage magazine (featuring 1930's and 40's movie star, Claudette Colbert) contrasts to the perception of beauty featured on a modern magazine cover.

Our perception of beauty fluctuates. As a result, we will not be cured by a new Barbie. Our view of beauty cannot merely be given a makeover. It must be revolutionized. In order to discover lastly, timeless beauty, we must cut down to its very definition.

Sources:

• "Barbie Compared to Average Adult Woman" image from The Minnesota Daily.

Part One//Part Two//Part Three//Part Four

Taking Off Your Colored Goggles

The sky was a dusky, queer shade of blue. I looked around me. So was the grass, the trees, and my swimming instructor’s face. In fact, everything around me was tainted with the blue color. And yet, strangely enough, I didn’t even notice this incredible phenomenon; from my perspective, everything appeared to be perfectly normal. Then, suddenly, everything changed. I squinted my eyes, and a grin split my face. Dazzling colors were all around me! The sun was a glowing orange, the grass was breathtakingly green, and the sky was a light, pure blue—scattered with fluffy white clouds. I looked down at the goggles I clutched in my fist, and smiled. How could I forget, so quickly, what the world looked like without my goggles on?

Although you may shake your head and smile, my story is not so unique. Every day, each one of us is presented with the opportunity to don a pair of tainted “goggles” through which you will view the world. The goggles are comfortable, and it feels natural when you slip them on. Most of the time, we don’t even realize that we’re wearing them. And yet, they will drastically affect the way that you perceive everything around you, including yourself.

If you’re beautiful—if your skin is flawless and your figure perfect—you have worth. If you’re successful and popular, you have value. If you do not…your life has no meaning.

Such is the world’s message to us. Is it any wonder that most girls struggle with feelings of inferiority? Statistics show that teen suicide rates have literally tripled since 1970. And in the United States alone, conservative estimates suggest that five to ten million girls and women are currently struggling with some kind of eating disorder. As Christians, we are not exempt from these attacks of the enemy. Although many of us may never go to these extremes, if we are honest, we’ll admit that we are susceptible to the exact same kind of thinking that leads to these problems. In a sense, we’re looking through the distorted lenses of colored goggles.

Why? Why is this such an issue in our culture? The answer is strikingly simple. We have bought into the lie of the world—that our worth comes from ourselves. And so, even in Christian circles, we tend to try to combat these problems with bigger boosts of self-esteem. However, this is not the solution. Isaiah 64:6 reads, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Apart from God, we have absolutely no merit. None.

And yet, the situation is not hopeless! While we were in our sinful, helpless state, God's love for us was so great that He sent His precious son, Jesus, to die a brutal death in our place. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we sere still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We must look at ourselves the way that God does. What does He see when He looks at you? Romans 8:39 triumphantly proclaims: "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"! God values you so much that He sent his Son to die in your stead-- and He promises that nothing will ever be able to separate you from His love. Such is God's heart towards you! The estimation of our worth must come from God alone. It is only His perception of us that matters, and no other.

Let us take of the colored goggles of our ungodly culture, and strive to see ourselves the way God does.

True Beauty

Perhaps you've seen ads from Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty. I'm glad that the problem of society's view of beauty is being recognized as it is---a problem. But I'm afraid that the "answer" of "self esteem" proposed by Dove is not going to help matters. It is not until human life is valued and each life seen as an intricately designed creation of God, that the definition of beauty will be effectively altered.

Just the same, a couple of Dove's short movies have been excellent. Spunkyhomeschool highlighted Dove's interviews with girls regarding their perception of beauty, and Girl Talk has recently brought up Dove's film of a modeling shoot. They're both eye-openers.

In the News Today

In the recent ROC issue.....

Andrew Hill of Leeds University stated at a recent obesity conference, "Children are sensitive at an increasingly early age to their physical appearance.” He revealed that “The impact of being overweight on girls' self-confidence has been detected in children as young as five years.” Likewise, Kylie Ball of Deakin University announced, “There is a need to address the adverse psychological consequences of high weight gain and help people to be more accepting of their weight and themselves, while assisting them to achieve their goal weight." (from an AFP article)

Perhaps secular analysts have developed a false solution. Judging only by the external, they are equipped only to sigh in dismay, treat an appearance-conscious five year old with a dose of self esteem and a trip to a psychotherapist, but not address the heart of the issue.

To finish reading my article, click here.

In other news....
Witnesses have reported sightings of several Beauty from the Heart contributors in various U.S. airports. We will keep you updated on further developments.

Waiting for the Wedding

One day, when I was a little girl, I was playing pretend "school" with two girls who lived down the street from me. The girl who played "teacher" handed each of her "students" a slip of paper which she called our "attention span." At one point during the game, much to the dismay of the little teacher, I lost my paper. I ran home, greatly distressed, and announced to my mother that I had "lost my attention span" and did not know where to find it.

While I look back and laugh at my childish ignorance, times have not changed much. I still struggle with losing my real attention span in a much more serious matter; I struggle with keeping my attention on God. Anything and everything can distract my focus from God if I give too much attention to it.

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. - Matthew 25:13

I have been reading Leslie Ludy's book, Authentic Beauty. First and foremost, I recommend this book to every young lady. I would, however, advise mothers to look over before letting their younger daughters read this because there are some topics that Leslie covers that are a bit descriptive.

As I read this book, the way Leslie describes what our relationship with Jesus struck me as odd. Leslie uses the term "Prince" for God. When I think of a prince, I think of Prince Charming of the fairytales. He rides in on a white horses and gallantly rescues the damsel in distress from an evil foe. I wondered How can this possibly be a picture of our relationship with God? The whole idea sounded rather irreverent, but now I see Leslie's point.

When a person is in love, they think constantly of their beloved (or so other people tell me.) They count the minutes until they can see their beloved again. Is our love for Christ to be very different from this? Is He not supposed to be on our minds, in our thoughts, and His law written upon our very hearts? 1 Corinthians 7:34 says that "An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit." The Lord has declared His intentions toward us in return in Hosea 2:16-20,

"In that day, declares the LORD, you will call me my husband; you will no longer call me my master. I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked...I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD."

Imagine that you are engaged to be married. You have met and fallen in love with the one who God has planned you for all along. You can hardly wait for the wedding day, but you have one problem. Your groom promised to bring the entire wedding party to your doorstep, but following old Jewish tradition, has refused to tell you the wedding date. It is a secret possessed only by him and his father. Every morning you wake up and question yourself, 'Is this the day of my marriage?' Each day you must prepare as though the wedding were just about to take place.

This may seem like a surreal situation, but it was reality for Jewish women during the time of Christ. After the initial betrothal, about twelve months would pass. Toward the end of the twelve months or soon after, the groom would arrive at the bride's home with the wedding party and the marriage ceremony could begin. The bride was never sure of the exact time that her husband-to-be was coming; she only knew that it was soon.

Yet this is also reality for us as followers of Christ. We are that bride. Our hearts should be completely turned toward our Savior that He is who we wake up thinking about and that our days are dedicated to the hope of His return.

How are you doing on this?