As I stood in line for a hot cocoa on a typically awesome mom-of-four Friday night at Target I watched some prom-goers who had just gotten through ahead of me. Yes- PROM goers. Full dress, makeup, hair, tuxes, Target. My people.
They were laughing, greeting others who joined them. But the girls- the beautiful made-up girls, I noticed. In a split second moment that only a seasoned female would have discerned, they looked the other girls up and down and assessed. I knew that question that fell on their meticulously made-up faces… am I prettier? Good enough? And my heart sank a little bit. Oh the wasted time we give to comparison.
A quote came upon me in that moment - “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” Dolly gets it! (Yes, THAT Dolly.)
I must confess that I am that girl in that dress with that look and those questions. Everyday. I have to shove it away and tell myself that I am a daughter of a King- a greatly loved, masterfully created (in God’s image no less), flawed and yet cherished promise. And now that I know…
May I share it.
May I whisper it into the ear of the young girl who wonders who thinks she is beautiful and what worth she has. May I spread it among the moms who have piles of clothes on their bedroom floor and forgot whether they brushed their teeth today.
We are so much more. More than clothes and hairstyles and skin and skinny jeans. We have hurts and desires and gifts and flaws and every single one of us is a big fat mess. But there is a promise we are given- that we are loved very, very much by a God who sent His son to be perfect on our behalf. Not just because He loves us but because He IS love. That is what He must do as LOVE itself. He gives. And loves us unconditionally.
Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
May we see others as beautifully created as our Savior sees them. And may we have joy in knowing we are perfectly imperfect. May we be silly and fun-loving and free. Free in the knowledge that we are loved mightily.
Watchman Nee says, “Have we discovered how good the Lord is? Then in us he is as good as that! Is his power great? Then in us it is no less great!”
May we spread goodness. Joy. Love to the loveable and unloveable alike… because aren’t we all a mess without grace and mercy?
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
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