Sound of Surviving Blog

The other day, I was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Whenever I eat these sandwiches, I always take the crust off & eat that part first, saving the good part of the sandwich for last. I started thinking about how we are kind of like these sandwiches, not that we’re food, of course, but that the best parts of us are often found within. If we’re honest, no one ever eats a sandwich for just the crust. If we wanted crust alone, we would just eat bread by itself, not a whole sandwich. What’s inside of us, our hearts and our souls, is worth so much more than what we look like on the outside. The world lies to us, telling us the opposite of that is true. That if we don’t look like the girls on the cover of Vogue, or Victoria’s Secret catalogs, we aren’t beautiful.

Thankfully, God doesn’t hold us to the same standards of beauty we’re forced to live up to on Earth. God looks at who we are inside. Over and over again, throughout his word, the Lord reminds us that we are much more precious than diamonds or jewels, that we are perfect just the way we are. After all, He is the creator of the universe, and we were created in his image (Psalm 139:14: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well). God looks at so much more than the world sees; he looks deep inside, past all the scars, the blemishes, the imperfections, and he sees us from the outside in. When Samuel was looking for the next king, the Lord revealed to him, that the next king would be David, the youngest of seven, a dirty shepherd tending to sheep in a field. David was not at all what Samuel or anyone, would’ve considered “fit for a king” material. But the Lord told Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). You see, David was smaller and younger, not as pleasing to look at, but God saw his compassionate heart, courage, love, and humility.

There’s a quote from John Mayer, where he states, “If you’re pretty, you’re pretty; but the only way to be beautiful is to be loving. Otherwise, it’s just ‘congratulations about your face’.” God tells us in Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” It’s funny how the Bible is the most truthful book in the world, yet we turn to Hollywood’s gossip magazines for advice. We worry ourselves with trying to be as pretty as the models and celebrities we see on tv and in the movies, but God assures us we will not find true beauty simply in how we look or dress.  In 1 Peter 3:3-4, we are told, “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 the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” Then in Colossians 3:12, Paul tells us, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience”. We are called, by our creator, the ultimate fashion designer, to be so much more than just pretty. We are called to be loving, humble, patient, kind, and compassionate. God created us perfectly. Song of Solomon 4:7: “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you”.

Because the world does not see us the way God does, from the inside out, they will continue to point out our imperfections, our weaknesses. But as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God’s grace is enough to cover our imperfections; we should boast all the more gladly about our weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on us.

Shouldn’t we show others their true beauty, remind them that only God can determine what we’re worth? After all, he tells us we are not only a work of art, but a priceless masterpiece, unique from any other in the world. You see, the world lies to us, because it knows that once we realize this truth, we will be unstoppable, because not only do we know that God defines our worth, but that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

“You are free – NOT JUST TO SURVIVE, BUT TO LIVE BOLDLY AND SERVE JESUS, WITH EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT.”- Anne Wilson