My sister is holding out an ugly pair of orange Crocs, size 12, which she insists are mine. She tells me to put them on. I keep telling her that I wear a 7 ½, and that the shoes are not mine. They will not fit. She insists they will. It’s quite a battle of wills. Then I wake up, shaking off the silly dream.
We are sometimes expected to fit into a preconceived mold which may not be us at all. It could be at school, at work, at home, socially, or professionally. Young girls’ images especially, are challenged constantly through TV, movies, and magazines that scream, “You can’t be too thin, too blond or too rich!” Our youth is striving for unattainable image goals and suffering greatly for it.
There’s a Christian song out called “More Beautiful You.” A verse goes like this:
“You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you.”
God made each one of us individually – no molds. It took me years to learn to be myself, not what someone else expected me to be. God was good to me – he gave me intelligence, a love of learning, compassion – and red hair. OK, so I didn’t get the gorgeous face, but I’m happy. God gave each of us talents and traits that belong only to us. He lovingly created us – and just like snowflakes – not one of us is completely alike. We were made in His image. How can that be at all imperfect?
It’s OK to be ourselves. It’s important that we be ourselves. Many times we learn more from the characteristics we don’t have than from the ones we do. We turn to God for help in our deficiencies, asking Him for guidance and knowledge and insight and discernment. He blesses us with these things as we need them.
Young people will learn that image isn’t everything. The love of Jesus Christ shining from within is what people will remember. The people we are drawn to are those who reflect an inward light, caring for fellow men, comfortable in the skin that God gave them. We WERE each made to fill a purpose, each one of us. Prayer and a daily relationship with our Lord will reveal that purpose.
In God’s sight, we are all beautiful. We are all perfect. We are God’s children. We are meant to be who we are. Determine your purpose and do all you can to fulfill it, asking God’s guidance and strength, praising His holy name.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts….and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
