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. 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)
During the Olympics, my channel surfing led me to a new show that is fascinating. Ordinarily the only show I watch regularly is “What Not To Wear.” It takes people who are fashion illiterate and transforms them by teaching them what to wear and giving them a makeover. Oh, did I mention that there is a $5,000 shopping spree and a trip to New York involved? Every time I wear my clearance rack Wal Mart capris and ballet flats or a pair of tan pants and a bright orange shirt to work, I expect people to get out the cameras and start nominating me. No luck so far. Now, there is another show I want to be on. It is called, “How To Look Good Naked.” It is hosted by Carson Kressley of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” The show’s premise is to take women who are unhappy with their body and show them that they should love the skin that they are in. Keeping their body weight and shape the same and using no plastic surgery, he shows them that their poor opinions of themselves are unrealistic and that there is much to be pleased about. He helps them see that they are not as large or misshaped as they think they are through comparing them to other women their size. He helps them pick out the right clothes and hair style, all the while telling them how beautiful they are. At the end, they pose naked (in as tasteful, artistic settings as you are going to get on Lifetime TV) for a photography session. I was watching the show with my husband who was making faces at all the psycho babble going on when I sighed and said, “I wish I could go on this show and Carson would tell me how beautiful I am. I want to float in a swimming pool draped in red fabric and have my picture made.” His head whipped around, and he frowned. He said, “You mean to tell me that if that guy who is a perfect stranger told you that you were beautiful, you would believe him and be happy with yourself, but when I tell you, the man who has been married to you for over twenty five years, you won’t listen?” I could see in his eyes he thought I was crazy, but he stopped short of saying it. He just stomped out of the room shaking his head in disgust. Hmm, well now that he puts it that way, I guess I do. Why don’t I listen to the one who loves me and tells me I am beautiful instead of all the strangers in my life telling me other things? God tells me His definition of beautiful, and I don’t often listen to Him either. It’s not about the shape or the weight, the make up or the hair. It’s about what He sees in my heart and not what I see in the mirror.
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