There is always some new quiz or picture app that shows up on Facebook. What's your personality type, can you spell these words only those with high IQ would know, which Hollywood movie should you star in. All just goofy fun. But there is a new one going around, 'Your face on a glamorous magazine cover'. I wear makeup all the time, so I didn't think there would be much difference. Holy cow, there certainly was. But it wasn't just because they applied makeup. They also smoothed wrinkles, thinned my face and who knows what else. It looks great. But it's not me at 55 years old. Probably wasn't me at 25 years old! So then you do this fun little thing and start to think, man I don't really look all that good. I could look better if I got Botox. I need lipo. I need to change who I am so I will feel good about myself and others will find me attractive, acceptable, worthy.
Let me tell you, this is something I have dealt with my whole life. When I was young my mom had me in what they called a 'pixie' cut, everyone else just thought it was a nice boy's cut. After ten I gained weight. I could never shop for the cute school clothes; no, for me it was husky size. And they were about as fashionable as that sounds. I didn't really have friends, was overweight and awkward and didn't fit in anywhere. I am so glad that I didn't have Facebook back then. Well first I wouldn't have had any friends on it, but to go on and use an app like this glamour shot would have probably destroyed me. I could never be that pretty, I could never feel like that picture looked.
Being totally transparent, when I lost the weight and did start wearing makeup and learned how to dress better it kind of went to my head. I finally had worth! Well, at least worth for one night. At least worth a few drinks and a good time. So while the outside may have changed, the inside never did. And to this day, I still have residual affects. I don't go anywhere without makeup on and my hair done. I always try to dress nice. I put on my mask and costume and I can get through the day. But I still get looked at funny. Jim tells me that he sees women give me dirty looks all the time when we are out. Like they think I think I am better than them, that I try too hard. If only they could see in my heart. If only they did not judge this book by it's cover.
I literally thank God that there is One who does not judge me by how I look. Or even by how I feel I look. There is One who looks on the inward parts. The One who created me and designed me to be just who I am. We all remember from Sunday school the story of David and Goliath. This young man going up against a fierce giant and killing him with one stone. This must have been a boy loved by all. He must have been the life of the party, what today would be the captain of the football team. The utter delight of his family. Uh, no. When God tells Samuel to go find a replacement for Saul he doesn't tell him who it will be. He just tells him to go find Jesse, and then God will tell him which one to anoint. So Samuel goes and see Jesse's son Eliab. Oh, tall and strong and handsome. This must be the one! Nope. Ok, next...Abinadab. No, not him either. Seven of Jesse's sons pass by and He rejects them all. Samuel asks, are these all your sons. “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” So Samuel invites Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice, but they don't even bother to call for David. He is totally left out, disregarded by all. Wow. "So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features." So, it's not like David was the hunchback of Notre Dame, maybe covered with boils and bald to boot; his family just didn't think he was important. But God did.
"Then the Lord said, 'Rise and anoint him; this is the one.'" Wait a minute God. Eliab was strong, all those other sons looked qualified...what's up with that? "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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
He looks at our heart. He doesn't care if we are having a bad hair day, if we're in our grubbies and have a zit. He looks at our heart. Even better than that, when we have received Jesus as Lord and Saviour, He no longer even sees us, He sees His beloved Son. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us and we can stand as His adored children, the apple of His eye. And then even better, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit leads and guides us. He teaches us. He gives us a heart that wants to do the Father's will, and then equips us to be able to do it.
David had that heart for the Lord. He was called a man after God's own heart, his name means 'beloved'. You read about David and think this guy has it made, he can't fail. But he not only goes through hardship, what with Saul trying to kill him, he also makes very bad decisions. He out and out sins. What is going on here? God calls him the apple of His eye; did that apple go a bit rotten? The thing about David, he was a man. He made big mistakes, he sinned big. But he also repented big. He was filled with sorrow for hurting God's heart. And God always forgave him. You, beloved child of God will also make mistakes. You also will sin. But if you have a heart after God, you also will repent. And you will be forgiven and restored. You are loved by a great God. And this God who takes your heart and gives it a makeover does not look at you when there are a few smudges and decide to throw you away. He doesn't have regrets over giving His Son to die for you, He has no buyer's remorse for paying the ransom for your sin. He takes the water of the word and washes you clean, white as snow it says in the bible. And He sees you as the beautiful child that you are.
You may feel rejected by others. You may feel that you don't fit in, that you don't measure up. "People most often measure themselves (and each other) by positive externals (performance, accomplishments, skills, position, training, wealth, fame, opportunities) while God measures by internals (intentions and movements of the heart towards God). Sometimes we look at ourselves (or others) through negative externals (our lack or gifting, spiritual achievement or lack of current opportunity or position of honor) and wrongly conclude that we have no future importance in God's purpose. In choosing David, God revealed to us how He views and chooses His people" (1)
He chose you because He loves you. His love is not fickle. His love is not like so many; if you measure up, if you look good, if you perform correctly. His love is unfailing, His love is everlasting, His love is abundant. There is nothing you have to change, spiff up or gloss over. You just have to open your heart to Him, after all that is what He is looking at. And it is beautiful, just like you.
All scripture NIV
1. http://peoplegetready.org/intimacy-with-god/gods-call-david-related-heart-responses-1-sam-16713/
Let me tell you, this is something I have dealt with my whole life. When I was young my mom had me in what they called a 'pixie' cut, everyone else just thought it was a nice boy's cut. After ten I gained weight. I could never shop for the cute school clothes; no, for me it was husky size. And they were about as fashionable as that sounds. I didn't really have friends, was overweight and awkward and didn't fit in anywhere. I am so glad that I didn't have Facebook back then. Well first I wouldn't have had any friends on it, but to go on and use an app like this glamour shot would have probably destroyed me. I could never be that pretty, I could never feel like that picture looked.
Being totally transparent, when I lost the weight and did start wearing makeup and learned how to dress better it kind of went to my head. I finally had worth! Well, at least worth for one night. At least worth a few drinks and a good time. So while the outside may have changed, the inside never did. And to this day, I still have residual affects. I don't go anywhere without makeup on and my hair done. I always try to dress nice. I put on my mask and costume and I can get through the day. But I still get looked at funny. Jim tells me that he sees women give me dirty looks all the time when we are out. Like they think I think I am better than them, that I try too hard. If only they could see in my heart. If only they did not judge this book by it's cover.
I literally thank God that there is One who does not judge me by how I look. Or even by how I feel I look. There is One who looks on the inward parts. The One who created me and designed me to be just who I am. We all remember from Sunday school the story of David and Goliath. This young man going up against a fierce giant and killing him with one stone. This must have been a boy loved by all. He must have been the life of the party, what today would be the captain of the football team. The utter delight of his family. Uh, no. When God tells Samuel to go find a replacement for Saul he doesn't tell him who it will be. He just tells him to go find Jesse, and then God will tell him which one to anoint. So Samuel goes and see Jesse's son Eliab. Oh, tall and strong and handsome. This must be the one! Nope. Ok, next...Abinadab. No, not him either. Seven of Jesse's sons pass by and He rejects them all. Samuel asks, are these all your sons. “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” So Samuel invites Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice, but they don't even bother to call for David. He is totally left out, disregarded by all. Wow. "So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features." So, it's not like David was the hunchback of Notre Dame, maybe covered with boils and bald to boot; his family just didn't think he was important. But God did.
"Then the Lord said, 'Rise and anoint him; this is the one.'" Wait a minute God. Eliab was strong, all those other sons looked qualified...what's up with that? "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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
He looks at our heart. He doesn't care if we are having a bad hair day, if we're in our grubbies and have a zit. He looks at our heart. Even better than that, when we have received Jesus as Lord and Saviour, He no longer even sees us, He sees His beloved Son. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us and we can stand as His adored children, the apple of His eye. And then even better, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit leads and guides us. He teaches us. He gives us a heart that wants to do the Father's will, and then equips us to be able to do it.
David had that heart for the Lord. He was called a man after God's own heart, his name means 'beloved'. You read about David and think this guy has it made, he can't fail. But he not only goes through hardship, what with Saul trying to kill him, he also makes very bad decisions. He out and out sins. What is going on here? God calls him the apple of His eye; did that apple go a bit rotten? The thing about David, he was a man. He made big mistakes, he sinned big. But he also repented big. He was filled with sorrow for hurting God's heart. And God always forgave him. You, beloved child of God will also make mistakes. You also will sin. But if you have a heart after God, you also will repent. And you will be forgiven and restored. You are loved by a great God. And this God who takes your heart and gives it a makeover does not look at you when there are a few smudges and decide to throw you away. He doesn't have regrets over giving His Son to die for you, He has no buyer's remorse for paying the ransom for your sin. He takes the water of the word and washes you clean, white as snow it says in the bible. And He sees you as the beautiful child that you are.
You may feel rejected by others. You may feel that you don't fit in, that you don't measure up. "People most often measure themselves (and each other) by positive externals (performance, accomplishments, skills, position, training, wealth, fame, opportunities) while God measures by internals (intentions and movements of the heart towards God). Sometimes we look at ourselves (or others) through negative externals (our lack or gifting, spiritual achievement or lack of current opportunity or position of honor) and wrongly conclude that we have no future importance in God's purpose. In choosing David, God revealed to us how He views and chooses His people" (1)
He chose you because He loves you. His love is not fickle. His love is not like so many; if you measure up, if you look good, if you perform correctly. His love is unfailing, His love is everlasting, His love is abundant. There is nothing you have to change, spiff up or gloss over. You just have to open your heart to Him, after all that is what He is looking at. And it is beautiful, just like you.
All scripture NIV
1. http://peoplegetready.org/intimacy-with-god/gods-call-david-related-heart-responses-1-sam-16713/