Beast of Beauty: The Horrific Standards

To be beautiful, according to the standards of the latest media and world outlooks, you must be:

• Size 0. Size 2? Won't do.
• Skinny. Beyond bikini fit.
• Tall. Long legs are sexy.
• Clothed in fabrics that only offer coverage for 1/4 of your body.
•  Acne-Free. One scar and you're out.
• Sassy. A fiery attitude is key to get whatever you want.

You must be flawless.

       Wow...looking at that list above, I don't qualify for any of those things really. Quite frankly, I don't want to! Do you? Well, let me share with you how I came to decide that I wanted nothing to do with the awful unrealistic beauty requirements of today's society.

       Have you ever felt ugly? Unlovable? Fat? Maybe you've felt so appalling that you just wanted to crawl back into bed and cry yourself to sleep because of the way you look? Trust me, I've been there before too. And I hated it. Bad hair days, huge zits, and "no-cute-clothes-to-wear" synodrome have all disturbed my peace of mind. So, as you read this, know that all of it is coming from a girl that as gone through most of the same grueling experiences as you.

       The first thing you have to embrace, is that God made you just the way you are. Big feet, small ears, long legs, freckles, double-jointed fingers, scars and all.Yes, embrace it all!  He has a reason behind every little thing he does. Maybe your radically long legs will enable you to start a local walk or run to support people fighting cancer. Who knows, there's a list of endless possibilities!

       After you start to accept and love all the silly little "imperfections" about you, you're views on things will start to change. You know, you'll play the comparison game less. And don't tell me that you haven't heard of the comparison game before. I know for a fact that almost every girl has played it before. The comparison game is when you look at other girls and compare yourself to them, wishing you were more like them on the outside. "I wish I was skinny like her." "Why can't my hair be curly like that?" "Ugh. She never gets a pimple. I have a million." "Will I ever develop a chest like hers?" That is the comparison game. And it is terrible! It destroys our self esteem and ruins our confidence. Its important for us to realize that we are perfectly imperfect and stop comparing ourselves to other girls. But don't get a big head. That is, don't start to think that you are better than everyone else. Treat everyone the way you'd like to be treated and God will be pleased. Besides, big heads are not attractive...

       I believe that physical beauty is the biggest monster in today's society. I have reason to think this, because of the message that the media sends to us. Whether this be through the models on the covers of magazines, the spokesperson for the newest beauty product, or the movie stars in our favorite films. They accentuate the "need" to be perfect, to be skinny, and to be sexy. They are constantly trying to allure us into losing great amounts of weight. Or buy their new cream that will erase all signs of age and scars. I do see the need for us to eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, and exercise daily to stay physically fit. But why make losing weight and attempting diets such a big deal, when instead they could promote eating right and working out on our own? And what woman doesn't want to stay looking young and lively? But, you know, those wrinkles and scars come with some pretty cool stories and memories. They come from trials and experiences, embedded on our skin to show others that we have pushed through challenging obstacles with merely a scar. And I believe that that is something to be proud of. Don't you?

      To touch base on make-up, do you think that God would give us such detailed facial features if He had wanted us to scribble all over them? No way! But, as I said before, I am not perfect either. I will admit, I use make-up products almost every day. Not a truckload, just some of the basics. For me to tell you that its awfully terrible to use any beauty product at all, would be kind of hypocritical. Just remember to use it to accent your God-made features, not cover it all up with something fake. Use beauty products in moderation.

      You'd think that fashion designers are running out of fabric by looking at their recent creations. Skirts that only come down to the knee -- Whoops, my mistake, they don't even go down that far! Tops that dip down too far, pants too tight, and in the midst of all of this, sometimes there are even little openings in the middle section of the ensemble revealing belly buttons and plenty of skin. Girls, their not really running out of fabric. They just aren't listening to God's opinion on fashion. Wait, God gives fashion advice? You bet!!

     Timothy 2:9-10 says, "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."

     Proverbs 31:20 says, " She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." 

     1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of jewelry and fine clothes. Rather it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."

       Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." 

 

       You see, God wants us to be modest in our style. He also wants us to be kind-spirited, loving, and gentle. God looks less at the outside than the inside. How amazing is this?! His eyes see us 100% differently than the eyes of the world. Of course, He cares about our outward appearance, because He knows it matters to us, but He sees it differently. For example, if you have a cold sore. You may be freaking out over how obvious and annoying it is, and He does want you to feel better and the cold sore to go away. However, He looks deeper. He sees how that even though you have a cold sore, you didn't let it stop you from sharing His Word with a group of friends at school. He looks more at your heart.

       Ladies, I now present you with God's standards of beautiful.

• Size doesn't matter. Big of small, He loves it all.
• Modest. You honor God and yourself by wearing clothing that is not only fashionable, but lovely in the Lord's eyes as well.
• One zit or too many to count, its okay, they don't count on God's list.
• Full of zeal. You have a loving heart and a kind spirit toward others.

And finally, to sum it all up, God loves you. Just the way you are. He loves you even more just the way you are than Bruno Mars does! Big, small, short, tall, acne, scars, imperfections, etcetera....God made it all, and admires it all. So don't let what anyone else thinks get in your way. Know that you have God on your side, and that He thinks the most of you. Because you are smart. You are talented. You are kind. You are important. You are beautiful. You are YOU! And ladies...

God loves you. Imperfections and all.