I took some time to look at the magazine covers from January of this year. Here are some of the article titles - I Lost 172 Pounds, Wrinkle Fighting Snacks, Magic Meals for a Speedy Metabolism, The 5 Day Slimdown, Hot Looks Under $50, 5 Cellulite Fixes That Actually Work, Get To Your Best Weight Ever, 5 Super Skin Fixes From Your Fridge...and the list goes on and on. You're probably familiar with the list of the most beautiful men and women that comes out every year. These messages are all around us, yelling at us, begging for us to pay attention, and I know I'm not the only one who can get caught up in all the hype.
Here's a question - who gets to pick the 100 most beautiful people? And if they really ARE the 100 most beautiful people, why aren't some people on the list that I KNOW should be? I have 5 sisters and 5 sister-in-laws that I am 100% sure should be on that list, yet I don't see their names anywhere. I have an amazing mother and mother-in-law - I don't see their names anywhere? What is the criteria used when these people are trying to decide who should be on this list?
Oh friends, we can get so busy thinking about and putting our time and attention into the wrong things, can't we? I'm sorry, but somebody who has the time and money to botox their face 4 times a year isn't going to make my list. Somebody who's a size 0 doesn't necessarily make the cut. If I'm defining beauty the way God defines beauty, you know who should be on that top 100 list? How about a mom with dark bags under her eyes - she's up all day taking care of her kiddos, and up almost all night cuddling, feeding, loving on and trying to calm a fussy infant? How about a woman who drops in bed completely exhausted at the end of the day because she now finds herself not only taking care of her household, but also taking care of aging parents who truly need her help every day? How about a woman whose husband cheated on her, who went through an awful divorce, but is still using her voice and her life to praise God? How about a woman who walked through the dark valley of losing one of her own precious children, but still has the strength to make sure others know that God is her rock? How about the woman that was sexually abused as a child, but now has the strength, through Christ, to forgive her abuser? How about the woman - the single mom, who works her butt off all day so she can provide for her kids, comes home exhausted, and still makes dinner and plays games with her children because she knows quality time is important? How about the woman who kisses her husband goodbye and willingly takes on the role of a single parent for 9 months or longer while that husband goes overseas to fight for our freedom? How about the woman that ___________ (your story here)? We all have heard the phrase - man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart, right? Haven't we? Do we believe it?
Beloved, God looks at your HEART - that is the true measure of your beauty! Oh, that you would embrace that and believe it! Proverbs 31:30 speaks to this - "Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain (because it is not lasting), but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!" Who shall be praised? A woman who fears the Lord! So, if that is true (and if you believe the Bible, you know that it is), can I ask you something? Are you spending as much time beautifying your heart as you do your face and body? How much time do you devote to working out? How much time does it take you to get ready in the morning? How much time have you spent with God today? Yes, it's convicting - it slapped me across the face! We all need to be working on actively beautifying our HEART! When we do, we will be on God's list of most beautiful women (and I'll take that over a magazine cover ANY day)!
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