True Beauty Comes From Within

1 Peter 3:3-4

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, 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.

As I am cleaning, sometimes I like to put on a tv channel that is known for selling different products.  As I am am cleaning, I am listening to them talk about a makeup product. The representative from this particular cosmetic company (not the hostess for the channel) was talking. It made so upset that I had to turn the channel.  I understand she is trying to sell a product, however how she was talking to the viewers came across very harsh in her words that she used.

She stated that, (and I am summarizing what she said instead of quoting it because I do not remember completely word for word) by not doing your eyebrows correctly or wearing the "right" product "you are robbing yourself of being the most beautiful you." (That I did remember word for word because it struck me in a not so good way). She went on to say by creating symmetry to the face with the brows you are helping yourself be the most beautiful you, because symmetry is how the human eye defines beauty.  

REALLY???? SO FALSE!!!! No wonder we have people in society who feel less than beautiful or have eating disorders. Trying to make themselves look like celebrities, or people in magazines.  If I cannot create symmetry to my face because of an accident or just because I wasn't born with features to be symmetrical, then I am not beautiful.  SO FALSE!!!!  

True beauty comes from having confidence and self-worth. What is this essentially saying to young people who we are trying to raise up to be good, kind, hard working individuals?  If you take what this cosmetic rep is saying at "truth" then, it doesn't matter how hard you work, how kind you are, how much beauty you have on the inside. If you don't have symmetry to your face you are not being the most beautiful you. What about those who had accidents or were born without being able to obtain symmetry? They are beautiful, unique, and amazing. They are survivors for walking the journey they have been asked to go through. They are beautiful inside and out regardless of if they do their eyebrows or wear makeup. 

Now, I am not saying I do not like makeup. I do. However, I don't wear it everyday.  I don't use it to make myself beautiful. I already feel beautiful. I have self-worth because I feel like I can hold my shoulders back with my head held high.  I have confidence.  It doesn't matter if others or even the beauty industry doesn't identify me as beautiful.  I am because I know to WHOM I belong. I know whose daughter I am. I know in whom my future comes from. 

There have been times in my life that I listened to critics. I listened to words just like that rep was stating today and I became very depressed, living in dark places while trying to walk in the light.  I walked in negative thinking and I did not have the confidence that I do now.  I don't know when that changed, but at some point I realized my self-worth and beauty didn't come from cosmetics, or anything superficial. I didn't need anyone to tell me I was beautiful.  I was bought a long time ago with a price I cannot repay.  How can you repay someone who has saved your life over and over? The only thing I can do is try to motivate, challenge, and help others.  I can be kind and loving to others.

I have been asked to walk a journey that some know firsthand and others judge quickly. NONE of that defines who I am, who I belong to, or where my beauty and hope comes from.  

I love this excerpt from Focus on the family, to read this particular article from focus on the family click the link (http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/sexuality/preventing-the-sexualization-of-your-daughter/what-the-bible-says). God doesn't make junk. 

Psalms 139: 14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Proverbs 31:30

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

I would much rather have beauty within and be kind to people than to adorn my face with a mask.  I want to teach my children to respect themselves, to respect others. To see themselves as GOD see's them. Beautiful, amazing, unique, and totally worth knitting them together in a mothers womb. 

So, I challenge you.  Take a picture of yourself without makeup or hair fixed.  Tag it with #TrueBeautyComesFromWithin then challenge others to do the same.  Let's start a movement. Let's start showing people that they matter no matter how they look.  Let's show media that they do not define us and cannot confine us in a small area. That we are beautiful, flawed skin or not. Makeup or not. 

Here is the Truth!!! 

WE ALL ARE UNIQUELY BEAUTIFUL.

Be your most beautiful self.