I recently had a conversation with my best friend about body image. It's not uncommon for this type of conversation to happen...like...ALL the time amongst girlfriends. Why? Because it is something we think about constantly.
After the conversation ended, I began to think and I asked myself: Why is this such a problem with women? (By the way, I want to say now that it is not just a "girl thing." Guys struggle with this, too. I think that the extent to which we dwell on it, though, is *astronomically* greater than men.)
It brought up so many questions within me?
Where are we getting our standard of beauty?
Do we just assume women in Bible times were all knockouts, with no rolls or cellulite?
Most of all:
Why can we accept and embrace that we were made in God's image when it comes to morality and personality, but we cannot wrap our minds around it when talking about our physicality?
Because the fact of the matter is - when someone compliments me on my joyful personality or my empathy or my sincerity - I can accept it. I can believe those qualities came from God. I can believe I am created in God's image.
When someone compliments my trustworthiness, or my dedication, or even my goofiness, I can accept it. I like those qualities in myself. I believe those qualities help make up who I am as a child of God.
But if you made me strip down to my most vulnerable state and stand in front of a mirror and just...look...
I wouldn't be so accepting. I would see the stretch marks, the cellulite, the fact that I still, (despite trying,) don't have abs. (Now you see where the Blue Bell comes into play.) I would be forced to look at my side profile that I have hated since the day a girl told me I look like a witch from the side. I would see my giant hips and my untoned arms, my wonky knees, and my cankles.
But I wouldn't see God.
I wouldn't see His hand in this creation.
I wouldn't see that the time, the care, and the passion He put into this physical being. It would be unfathomable for me to imagine Him stepping back, admiring this masterpiece, and saying to Himself when He was finished -- "Yes. It is perfect."
Why?
Why, then, do I disrespect Him like this??
It is true that my body is a temple; why do I look at it like it's a graffitied, abandoned warehouse? Why do I also treat it as such?
So many blog posts and articles will tell you that God looks at the heart. And that's true! Inner beauty is of the upmost (Lol that's a New Girl reference..anyone? Anyone catch that?) importance.
But don't discount your beauty. The wholeness of Your beauty.
That's inside, that's outside, that's EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT YOU.
God created You just exactly how He wanted you to be.
You don't get to pick that apart.
You ARE beautiful.
You ARE "Imago Dei" -- a reflection of the beauty of God Himself.
You are exactly you. And God made no mistake. You are His perfect and truly beautiful masterpiece.
Start seeing that version of you.
Start loving that version of you.
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