It makes me sad when people complain about their looks. ‘Oh my smile isn’t very pretty!’… ‘I don’t like my nose’… ‘My eyes are so small!’… ‘I wish I had her hair’.
I admit that I used to be like this. Always complaining about something in my looks…and not necessarily just in my facial features. My height, my arms, my legs, my ears, etc. I began to grow discontent with the way I looked. My Mama (the wise person that she is), reminded me to be content in the way God made me, but sadly…I wasn’t. And I didn’t heed her advice. She told me I was beautiful, and I didn’t believe her.
I remember her telling me a story once, about a girl in highschool who was the prettiest in her class. Mama had told this girl that she thought she was pretty and the girl answered with ‘Yeah right!’ It hurt my Mama’s feelings that the girl didn’t accept the fact that she was pretty…and that every time my Mama would compliment her, the girl thought she was joking. And Mama wasn’t the only one who told her so! Other classmates would too, and the girl would just brush them off.
Well, I had to learn that myself…
I remember telling a girl that she was pretty and she answered with, ‘No, I’m not’. ‘Yes you are!’ I replied, with a laugh. ‘Well, I don’t think I am.’
This hurt me. Because, not only was this girl pushing away my compliment; she was denying the fact that she was pretty. AND she was denying the fact that God had made her beautiful.
And I suddenly realized…that I had been too.
I don’t know when it happened exactly. But I came to a realization that I am beautiful. Not because I think I am. Not because my makeup makes me. Not because my family and friends tell me. But because God made me. And He made me in HIS image…the most beautiful image in the world.
‘But how do I answer someone when they same I’m beautiful?’ you may wonder.
Haha Well, you don’t have to necessarily agree with them. ‘Oh yeah, aren’t I?’ haha Just accept their compliment with a ‘thank you’ (an added smile is a nice touch too) and be happy that someone finds you attractive.
At art school, all the girls tell each other that they’re beautiful. ‘Rikki, you’re beautiful!’ ‘Jacque, you’re beautiful!’ ‘Jenni, you’re beautiful!’ ‘Alexandra, you’re beautiful!’ ‘Lisa, you’re beautiful!’. And something that I’ve noticed about a person is…they may not necessarily be beautiful on the outside, but if they have a good, kind, sweet heart and love God, love to laugh, love to see you smile…they ARE beautiful. Because it’s what’s inside that counts.
'Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain. But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.'
~Proverbs 31:30
13 of your thoughts:
:)
You said a person may not be 'beautiful on the outside' and thats where I disagree. Everybody is beautiful on the outside in some way. I may not be their face or hair but everybody is pretty inside and out.
I love this post. And you ARE pretty. :)
futurejedigirl0202 - I understand what you're saying, and I guess I wrote that in the wrong way, because what I MEANT to say was...
even when a girl thinks of HERSELF as 'not pretty', she is. There's always something about every person that is beautiful. I agree with you. :) I got a comment from a girl a while ago who said that she 'wasn't pretty'. So, I guess I kinda stuck that sentence in for her... :)
Aw, thank you, Spicemuffin and Company :D haha
Good post. Though I, too, disagree on that last part--
"And something that I’ve noticed about a person is…they may not necessarily be beautiful on the outside, but if they have a good, kind, sweet heart..."
..Yes, that is true, that INNER beauty always shines farther and better than outer, but it is UNtrue that not every girl IS beautiful on the outside. I have yet to meet one girl who doesn't have some feature that is very pretty!
Overall though, good thoughts..we all need to be reminded of this. :)
~Lucia
My 15 year old brother told me once that every girl he sees has something beautiful about them. Their hair, or their eyes, maybe their smile. He also told me when I was worrying about not having any make-up to bring on a trip that I put too much on and I don't need it anyway.:)
I grew up being told I was pretty by family and friends, but I never really believed it. As a teenager I detested my body. My legs were too short or fat, my face was ugly, ect..
One day I was in the van with my mom driving through the country. I saw a weeping willow up ahead on the road. Weeping willows are my favorite tree.:) love to see them bending and waving in the wind! I thought, "I wish I could be as pretty as that tree.As strong, beautiful,and elegant as it is." I felt Yahweh touch my heart and he whispered, "Morgan, you are more beautiful than that tree, and I love you. I made that tree, and everything about it is beautiful, down to its roots deep in the soil. Everything about you is beautiful, from your feet to the crown of your head. I made you, I formed you in the womb with my fingers and I never make mistakes."
I started sobbing right there in the car and my mom was a little worried! I mean, I can be emotional, but I am not one to just start crying!:)
I have never forgotten that, and whenever I start cutting my body down or wishing I had someone else's body I remember that day.:)
Great post!:)
Thanks for aking the time to share this with us, Raquel! You're right about so many people saying stuff like they aren't beautiful or whatever, when really, everyone is beatiful in God's eyes, because He made them, and He made them in His Owm image... And like you said at the end, it's what inside that really counts. Have you ever heard the song More Beatiful You, by Jonny Diaz? I really like that song, and it goes along with what you are talking about here. :)
In Christ,
Karissa :)
This whole day I've been feeling fat, Ugly, and basically not happy with who I was and with the way that God made me. Your post helped me see how stupid those feelings are and that the only things they do is make you wallow in self pitty and grumpiness and make you miss out on all the fun and happy times in life. Many times that happens to me and then I'm sorry about all that time I miss out on just being happy.
Anyway, your post was great and it came in the perfect time!
thanx!
Kai
It's the hardest thing to do, when someone gives you a compliment and you don't really believe it, to smile and just say "Thank you!" But the thing is, the more you say it, and the more you allow yourself to hear compliments without immediately denying them, the more you come to realize that maybe they're true!
Wonderful, wonderful post! :)
~Jamie Joyce
Very good post. I've struggled with this too (especially accepting compliments), and it's good to have the reminder. It is good to remember that each person is made in God's image, and therefore even if they don't fit the world's definition of "beauty," they fit God's. :)
Blessings,
~Melody
Aw, Morgan, your story brought tears to my eyes. :) Stay strong, girlie! You're beautiful!
Karissa, yes!! haha And actually, when I was writing this article, I thought I should include that music video in the post, but I completely forgot to :P haha Oh well!
Kai - aw!!!! I know EXACTLY what you mean!! I have those days too...all of us do :) God made you beautiful! Don't ever forget that :)
Mary - I agree :)
Thank you, Jamie :)
Melody - ♥ Stay strong :)
Glad everyone has enjoyed this post so much!! God is good!
Such a great post! Although, I do not think of myself as beautiful... I've always sorta felt like the "plain/ugly" girl. My family thinks I'm beautiful, my boyfriend, my friends... I just don't see it, myself. But I think that this post could help alot of people and it's so true! Love ya, girly!
-Rachel Lynn
i super like this! you're honestly beautiful.:)
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