GENESIS 1:26
There is a lot of focus today on being accepted by others, but what about accepting yourself? Most everyone, at some point in time, has struggled with being happy with the way they are. Girls have a tendency to be overly critical of themselves. How many times have you looked in the mirror and thought, I wish I had better hair, my body is so ugly, why do I have so many zits? Or when was the last time you thought, I wish I were better at … We forget that when we complain about the way we look or what we’re not talented at, we are being discontent with the way God has made us—in the image of God fearfully and wonderfully. We are not perfect, even though we have unrealistic expectations of ourselves. Air-brushed models are our standard for beauty, and we always look to those who are better than us in a certain area, never satisfied with where we are at. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Why do we put so much focus one what we look like and how we appear to other people, when God is concerned with the attitude of our hearts? Before we can accept others, we need to take the vital first step of accepting ourselves and being content with the person he has especially designed us to be.
Julia Postema, 16, Jonathan Edwards Academy, Erving, MA
Father, You think so differently than me.
I can only see what people look like on the outside,
so I don’t realize how important inner beauty is.
Give me new eyes to see more than just the physical.