Devotionals

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Menacing Models

“Do not let your adorning be external- the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear- but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”
1 Peter 3:3-4 ESV

I open up the mailbox and there it lays…the dreaded bi-monthly clothing magazine. I’m not even sure how we came to get this magazine but like clockwork, it arrives every two weeks to torture me. I flip through the pages and see an array of gorgeous models wearing gorgeous clothes. The women have perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect bodies, perfect everything.

And then come the thoughts, “I wish I looked like her.” “Why can’t my hair hold curl like that?” “She’s so skinny and fit. I will never look like that.” And on and on and on the negative thoughts continue to penetrate my mind.

I play the comparison game between myself and these beautiful women time and time again. And by comparing myself to those magazine models, I fall short every time. I am left feeling bad about myself with a negative attitude.

It’s not that I am really unhappy with myself or the way I look- it’s just that someone always looks so much better! And what really scares me is the realization that if I struggle with this, chances are my twelve year old daughter probably will too.

To help me through these rough patches of self-worth, I focus on Scripture from 1 Peter reminding me God desires me to be more concerned with the beauty of my heart rather than my external beauty. Does that mean it’s wrong for me to want to exercise to get healthier or lose weight? Absolutely not. Do the key verses imply it’s wrong to want to look my best or love wearing makeup? Of course not.
The Bible verses inspire me not to get caught up in all those vain pursuits, to make them the focus of my attention. A beautiful heart is much more valuable and cherished by God than the prettiest of outward appearances. God knows that external beauty will fade, but a gorgeous heart will be everlasting.

Do not be discouraged when you see those perfect, menacing models in magazines. Let them serve as a reminder of the desire of our Heavenly Father to make our inner beauty far outshine our external beauty. Make a point to help your daughters and grand-daughters derive their self-esteem and worth from the Lord. And lastly, unsubscribe to those pesky magazines that keep coming in the mail every other week- after all, you, like me, have probably never ordered one of their outfits anyway!

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