Happy Saturday! For me, for the next five minutes (okay a little more than five because I am typing this before I begin my FMF post) it is Friday and time to join in for Five Minute Friday. It is five minutes of free writing on a one-word prompt. Learn all about at right here. This week’s prompt is Beauty. Though I must admit…I totally saw BEAUTIFUL so forgive me for straying a bit. XOXO
Let’s go!
It is funny but my idea of beauty back in the day was all about the superficial. I think that is mainly because I really only related to the world’s view. Maybe related is not the right word. Relied on the world’s view. That’s it. Relied. Sadly that can often the case with the young and independent. What the world gives, we greedily take in big heaping gulps. Gulps that in the long run absolutely hurt going down and threaten to break us.
That is what the world view did to me.
For too many years I saw beautiful as the goal. I recall a teacher in the seventh grade sharing with us that Hollywood had a standard for beauty. He literally shared what the perfect nose should look like. This man seriously walked through the class and looked at all of our faces. At the end of his walk, he shared that one girl had the best nose. There’s nothing like inciting a bunch of teenage girls into unhealthy comparison. Can you imagine? Needless to say, the rest of us felt pretty crappy and miles from beautiful.
Beautiful meant perfection. Lack of beauty meant rejection. Beauty was absolutely the haunting reminder of my own lack.
As an adult. I have a much firmer grasp on the truth. It took many years, but as my relationship with God strengthened, I could see that I am beautiful, you are beautiful, we are beautiful, all of creation is beautiful.
“I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” – Psalm 139:14
I also learned this…
it is not about me.
Beauty truly is a reflection of God, His works, His creativity, His existence.
Job 12:7-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you;
And let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this,
In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?”
When I was world focused and self focused. Beauty made me feel lack. Now that I am focused on God. His beautiful creation, His beautiful design, keeps me focused on His presence.
I see Him in the trees, the blue sky, the way the snow sparkles in the morning or glows in the evening. I see Him everywhere I look. And I look for Him, and when I do, it is beautiful.
Stop
Hope you join us today at Five Minute Friday!
What a reminder.
“Beautiful meant perfection. Lack of beauty meant rejection. Beauty was absolutely the haunting reminder of my own lack.”
As the years continue to pass, I can relate so well. It’s not about me, and it’s all about Him.. So beautifully penned…
I am so glad to have a glimpse now of the bigger picture. There is so much more joy and beauty as we are focused on God. Thank you for stopping by Del!
You are not alone sweetie girl. We’ve all been there. But as you said “it is not about me”.
Love your take on beauty.
Thank you for coming by Rhonda. You have blessed me so. 🙂
I’m so sad that the teacher had to look for the “perfect nose.” Society is really good at telling our young girls and boys how they should look. I’m glad that I’m older and now know that beauty isn’t solely on what’s on the outside but what’s on the inside too. I’m in the 5 spot today.
Yes it is pretty sad. Of course as an adult I can now see that it was a completely off thing to do, but as a kid, it really stuck with me. Thanks for coming by Tara!
Beauty is a reflection of God. Exactly! That’s one we can all pursue.
Thank you for coming by Debby! Thanks for your encouragement too!
Thank you for sharing your heart!
Mindy thank you so much for stopping by!
Love the vulnerability here. We are all in process of learning to don God’s lens. I really appreciate the passage from Job here. These often ignored verses need to be speak.
Thank you so much Stephanie. 🙂
Kelly, what a beautiful post. I used to strive for that external beauty too. I never could find it in myself. I always saw the ugly in a skin blemish or some other physical “less-than.”
What you said here:
“I also learned this…
it is not about me.
Beauty truly is a reflection of God, His works, His creativity, His existence.”
This is profound. I never thought about beauty this way before. True beauty is a reflection of God, isn’t it? Thanks for this thought to take with me into the rest of my week. 🙂
Oh Jeanne, thank you so much. I always appreciate your posts and your kindness. Thank you truly. 🙂