Trust me when I say I am not a vain woman, but who doesn’t want to look good and feel confident when they head out the door? Each morning as I get ready for the day, I go through my routine of looking in the mirror as I brush my teeth, dry my hair and put on my make-up. The cosmetic companies have done a good job of getting us to believe the various products they sell will make us look and feel better about ourselves, as we try to achieve the appearance the world says is attractive. However, as I look in the mirror I see a woman who has blemished skin, a sagging chin and uncontrollable naturally curly hair. I recently had a conversation with some friends who agreed when they look in the mirror, they always see their flaws, first. A 2013 article on the Huffington Post website declared women spend as much as 426 billion dollars annually on cosmetics, hair products and toiletries. Why? Because we don’t like what we see in the mirror. We blame society, but we really we are a part of the problem too, when we lower ourselves to the world’s standards.
What if, instead of looking in the mirror and agonizing over all of our flaws, we began to look in the mirror and see the beautiful women God created? When was the last time you liked what you saw in the mirror? What you see there is simply a two-dimensional reversed image of your outward appearance. It isn’t you, it’s a reflection.
God sees us as He created us – in His image. God’s view of you is the truest reflection of who we are, though we struggle to see it. We live in a world which determines our worth based on superficial things. The enemy of our souls’ desire is to make us see ourselves as much less than who God made us. We can be duped into a vicious cycle of trying to compete with and criticize each other based on outward appearance. The world bases our value on how we look. I’m not saying wanting to look nice is completely wrong, but when it becomes a god you are missing out on something far more special….YOU! What makes YOU so special?
It is far more important our true reflection comes from the beauty that is in our heart and soul. Have you ever noticed a woman who is very attractive until she opens her mouth and begins to speak with the tongue of a sailor? What you see, quickly becomes very unattractive. God sees beauty in a way that is reversed from ideas of the world. God’s desire is we would become beautiful on the inside by spending time in prayer, in the word and loving others in exactly the same way He loves you and I. Imagine if we spent as much effort becoming beautiful for God as we did for the world. We would reflect God’s glory in a way which would honor, please and draw others to Him.
Sometimes, we need reinforcement to remind us how beautiful we truly are. You might want to write this on your mirror and memorize it. Psalm 139:4 says
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NLT)
Once you know it, you need to believe it. Do you believe you are fearfully and wonderfully made? If not, pray and ask God to reveal to you the image He sees. Don’t allow others’ words, or even your own, to tell you differently. The only thing flawed may be your thinking!
When we adorn ourselves with the things of the world, we are setting ourselves up to hate what we see in the mirror. Proverbs 31:30 says,
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. (NLT)
Don’t settle for temporary beauty which will fade away, but let your inner beauty be your legacy of a woman who loves the Lord with her heart, mind and soul. When you live as the beautiful woman God created you to be, He doesn’t compare you to anyone else.
You, Sheila, are one of the most beautiful women I am blessed to know.