Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Okay, is it me, or is anyone else having trouble remembering what day it is? Being on vacation for 2 weeks has me all over the place...but I believe it's Tuesday, so...Happy Tuesday!
Let's check in with Liz! She's been recording herself, she just hasn't been uploading or sending the links to me - so don't think I forgot! But today she sent me week 6 and week 7 updates, so click on those links to see how she did :-)
Okay, so last night I watched a new show on ABC called True Beauty - did anyone see it??? The contestants on this competition reality show all think they're being judged on how beautiful they are on the outside, but actually they're being judged on their inner beauty. Check out the contestants:
"When I walk into a room, time freezes."
I mean, I understand confidence. No one thinks, or should think, that he or she is unattractive. But even the most confident of us should realize that no one is perfect by everyone's standards. And truly beautiful people understand that beauty illuminates from within.
These men and women were obnoxious. They were arrogant. They lacked any substance that could be seen - at least not in the first episode. Sure, they were physically attractive - but on the inside? Whoa. Let's hope creative editing cut out any redeeming qualities any of them may have had, because it was sad...so sad.
But what was most sad about these contestants was how noticeably insecure they all were. We all have insecurities. Some of us work through them and try to overcome those insecurities. Others mask them with a false sense of pride. We build a bigger ego thinking no one will see the real person within. I got the sense that these contestants were hiding behind a veil, even though they desperately wanted to be seen. They all measured their worth by their outward appearance and were crippled by what other people thought of them.
I understand they thought it was a beauty contest - but when asked how one measures beauty, not one of them said anything about having a good heart, being compassionate or generous or having a sensational personality. They were concerned with cheekbones and eye color and their physique. They were jealous of each other. They were condescending. And they were ugly...to the bone.
Don't get me wrong, we all enjoy looking our best. We wear make-up, stylish clothes and get our hair did :-) We make ourselves attractive for many reasons...whether it's to put a little more sway in our step, or to attract members of the opposite sex. The great challenge for each of us is to let go of our limited view of ourselves and trust the intimations of our soul, which whisper to us "rejoice, you are a child of God." We focus outward when the beauty we long for and try to paste on our bodies is already within us.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying taking care of yourself and looking the best that you possibly can. But all of that should be done to please yourself, not to be judged by anyone else. We should take just as much time, if not MORE, to cultivate our inner beauty. Too often our appreciation of beauty does not penetrate beyond physical attractiveness or sex appeal, and our relentless pursuit of beauty at the superficial level prevents us from understanding that our oneness with God makes us beautiful from our souls. The outward appearance may be what attracts us to a person, but the person's inner self is what will keep our attention and capture our hearts.
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
Out of His love, we are created in His likeness, divided and multiplied into a myriad variety of images manifest in His glory. Be content with your natural appearance. And I don’t mean a reluctant contentment - but a joyful, sincere gratitude to God for what He has blessed you with...and what He has given to others. You can’t be grateful and envious at the same time. God created us beautifully, knitting each part together deliberately. We are all unique - no two of us are exactly alike. Beauty is infinite because God is One. No matter how deep it is...where there is beauty, there is an eye to see it. Once we tap into the beauty that is God in us, the veil is lifted, and our inner radiance shines through.
-b
