The Google definition of beauty says, “A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.” Sure, this is the literal definition, but it’s also a perfect depiction of how our society views beauty as an outward concept, minimizing all the internal qualities that make someone beautiful. It’s just about pleasing the “aesthetic senses.”
Social media and the culture around us consume our minds every day with images and examples of what “true beauty” is. What you should look like and dress like, how you should smile and act and what products you can buy to transform you into this perfect persona.
Here’s the thing: This couldn’t be further from the truth! Our society convinces you that what the world finds pleasing is what we should strive to be like. We were made to think and believe that we should have insecurities and not value our raw, vulnerable and beautiful selves.
We’re surrounded by thousands of filters to fix our so called “flaws” or enhance our beauty because we aren’t pretty or perfect enough without them. We are always searching for another product or the next best thing to meet this standard of beauty.
However, as humans, not one of us is perfect. We were made to reflect God and His beauty. We were created for so much more than filters and fixing our flaws. We are sons and daughters of the King of kings who says we are fearfully and wonderfully made just as we are (see Ps. 139).
Jesus paints a perfect picture in the Bible of what true beauty is. He describes how we are each intricately made and created to be like no one else. We are unique and valuable in our own individual ways. What we are made of and who we are is personalized to each of us. We are called to a purpose that is higher than this world’s standard and is designed just for us.
We can spend our whole lives trying to be like others, but why would we? The Creator of the universe made you in His perfect image. We were individually sculpted and molded by the Savior of the world, and what could be more beautiful than that?
Here are a few verses where the Bible emphasizes true beauty:
“You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you” (Songs 4:7).
“Do not let your adorning be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine clothing. But let it be the hidden nature of the heart, that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Pet. 3:3-4).
“I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder; marvelous are Your works, and You know me completely” (Ps. 139:14).
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27).
“You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of your God” (Isa. 62:3).
Don’t be discouraged by the world’s perceptions. A hard-hitting and insightful quote by Paul David Tripp says, “He is freeing us from our slavery to what is not true and cannot deliver. He is rescuing us from serving what will never give us life. He is protecting us from seeking hope where hope will never be found.”
Our earthly bodies and beauty weren’t made to last forever on this earth, but we will live for eternity with Christ in new and glorified bodies. Perfection, pop culture and people’s opinions won’t give us the hope and security we are all yearning for. One day, when we are living in the presence of our Savior, the only thing we will remember and deem valuable is how He called us worthy and saw the beauty in our hearts, even when the world didn’t.
You, my friend, are beautiful! {eoa}
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