Proper Perspective?

Today I read a quote that I liked, so I shared it on my facebook page. "Beauty has a lot to do with character." A friend commented that it was a truth many young girls needed to know. I say amen to that! It's something everyone should know. It caused me to think, and as I thought more on it, I decided to share my scattered thoughts here.

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30

For many, many years this has been one of my "life verses." I love the truth contained in that verse. As God lists the qualities of a virtuous, Godly woman, He closes the chapter with that truth. I believe we can see God's mind on the issue! He made it clear here that outward beauty was not nearly so important as the inward (her fear of the Lord). 

I once listened to a man use part of I Samuel 16:7, (for man looketh on the outward appearance) to justify placing strong emphasis on choosing a mate based on how she looked. For once in my life, I did not open my mouth, I smiled, kept walking and laughed to myself. He'd forgotten the entire verse which says, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." 

God was instructing Samuel NOT to use the world's ideas in choosing the man who would be Israel's king. He was telling him to see them as God saw them. We all could benefit from the instruction given to Samuel, in viewing ourselves and others. The world emphasizes the outter-man. God emphasizes the inner-man. We can not use the excuse, "Well I'm human and it's just natural to judge the outward appearance." The Bible tells us to die to the natural man and have the mind of Christ. We are to strive to value what He values, reject what He rejects, love as He loves. I believe that principle applies here.

Yes, this world says a person's worth is based heavily in the "packaging." Young children are sometimes more impressed with the box a gift comes in rather than the gift the box contains. Why? Their maturity has not allowed them to yet understand that the packaging might be nice, but it really doesn't mean much; it's the gift inside that's important. Some people carry this into adulthood. 

We need to view ourselves and others properly. I have listened to beautiful Christian teen girls, nearly in tears tell me, "I'm just not pretty enough." I have listened to women well aged sigh sadly and tell me, "I used to be so beautiful but that's gone now." I have listened to women in their middle-aged years fret that they are losing their beauty. They all list various reasons for why they feel this way. And my heart hurts a little every time. 

I don't judge them, because I have struggled, and still do in some areas concerning this. It is a battle, sometimes a daily one, that I have to fight. I have stood in front of my bathroom mirror crying in one hand while holding handfulls of my hair in the other. You see, my entire life I never thought I was very pretty but the one thing I did like about my outward appearance was my hair. To loose that as well was, and sometimes still is a challenge at times. That's just plain honest. But it is what it is, so you just wipe your tears, reapply your makeup, smile, and go on with your day. My point is, I understand those feelings of insecurity and not measuring up to a standard. 

But who set those standards women feel they must hold themselves to? Society? And did they set it based on Hollywood, popular trends, or culture? If so, those standards are wrong. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being "beautiful" on the outside. My point is, the women I've listened to list their inadequacies were in fact beautiful on the outside (and the inside!) and that is part of the problem. 

We all have things we don't like about ourselves. We forget godliness with contentment really is great gain. Yes, we, as in myself included. God made us, not we ourselves. We want to be smaller, we want to be bigger (well, not me!), we want curly hair instead of straight, blue eyes instead of brown; you name it, we're never really satisfied, and there could be many reasons why, but the fact remains, God made us. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. I've jokingly said, "I was made and it's fearful and I sure wonder!" However, really and truly, God made me (and everyone else) as He saw fit. There are some things we can, and sometimes should change (when my weight impeded my ability to serve God and even my life, that needed changing. But I don't need colored contacts or plastic surgery to alter who God made me to be, for example).

I heard a preacher once say as he stood looking at a cage of baboons in a zoo, that he laughed and wondered to himself why God had made something so funny looking. Then God reminded him that as Creator, He had looked upon ALL of His creation and called it good. He made the baboon as He wanted it to look and He was pleased. 

We need to view ourselves properly, and we certainly ought to view others properly as well. Who on earth do we think we are to look at another one of God's creations (especially one of God's children, if they are a brother or sister in Christ) and deem them somehow "less" or unworthy, or lacking based on their appearance? God has not resigned His throne to anyone, so no one has the right to view someone the King of the Universe created and critique a physical appearance.

As with most things, our ideas and God's sometimes contradict. His thoughts are higher than ours. When that happens, we must yield to Him. I love a good joke, even if it is on me, and I'm sometimes the first to tell one on myself. I like laughing and I don't mind laughing at myself. However we must not lose sight of the fact that our worth is not in how this world views us, how our brothers and sisters in Christ view us, or even in how we view ourselves. Our worth is in Christ. The fact of the matter is, we were worthless, rotten, no good sinners; every last one of us. YET, He loved us so much that He was willing to lay aside the glory of Heaven, and take on flesh, live and suffer and die (without sin!) for every last one of us. Our true worth is not in ourselves, but in Him. In Him is all sufficiency. 

I have laughingly said, "I'm more than just a number." By that I mean, I am more than the number on my scale. I am more than the number of hairs on my head (or in my hand!). I am more than the number that is my age. I am more than my outward appearance. And so is everyone else. We have a character, convictions, principles, thoughts, personalities, and most importantly, eternal souls. Making sure those things are properly kept in order is far more important. Yes, take care of the outward, it IS the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we ought to be good stewards of what we are given. Make it look as good as you can (within reason and with moderation) and keep it as healthy as you can, but know that your inner-man, that part of you that makes you YOU, that is more important to work on than anything else. Not even that can be done without the power of the Holy Spirit, by the way!

Letting Him shape our character, mold our lives, change our actions, work in our hearts, and work through us, THAT and that alone, is true beauty. We were created in His image, and yes, I do realize that because of the Fall, that image was marred when sin entered, but the Second Adam came, died, and rose again. He is all-together lovely, and we as His children are IN HIM.

I've heard it often said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." True. When we ask God to help us "behold" ourselves and others as He sees, that will make a world of difference. I'm glad when I was lost He saw what I could be. I'm glad when He views me now, He sees the Righteousness of Christ. It's how He views you as well.

I'm glad God made a world of beauty...and in that world he allowed people to be made in His image (what an honor!) and yet have unique appearances. He's just good like that!