The Fight for Beauty

Beauty.
What is it?... in the eyes of the beholder, culturally defined, of symmetrical value, aesthetically pleasing, charm, long flowing hair, height, an inward demeanor? Who can obtain it?   Where does it come from? What is its value?  If you are a young, single woman as myself any of these words may come to mind:  insecurity, pride, unobtainable, overwhelming, receives attention, empty, skin, physique, fashion, vanity.  Since freshmen year of high school these had been central to my value in life and have been a battle since my new life with Christ and I don't believe that I'm alone. 

In a nation of comfort, success, and prosperity we have the privilege to know beauty: beauty in our homes, cosmetic beauty, beauty in art, landscaping and architecture, nature and parks that are well kept, and graphic design.  In Gen 1 God Himself created life and called it good and made it all to be revealing of His glory as it is filled, subdued and cultivated by His representative image bearers, humans.  Out of Zion He has shone forth the perfection of beauty (Ps 50:2).  Beauty shines through God's city and can be perfect; meaning, also imperfect.  It can be gazed into and sought out in the Lord (Ps 27:4).  God has beauty yet he has no physical stature; He is a spirit. Satan was the most beautiful angel yet pride in his beauty and power led to his damnation.  Esther's beauty was used by God to redeem an entire nation through which our precious Savior Jesus later came through.  Beauty is also described as fleeting and Jesus redefines it as an inward reality of a gentle and quiet spirit which is pleasing to the Lord (1 Pet 3:3-4). The Hebrew language defines it as lovely/pleasant.  Dictionary.com describes it as "the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest)."  From all of this you might say beauty is the "whole package:" inward, outward, good, bad, desirable, pleasant.  It is displayed through and created by God and His plan in Christ's life, death, and resurrection with purposes both revealed and yet to come.  

God Himself is the fullness and abundance of life, joy, and satisfaction.  He is set apart from everything; "holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."  As created in God's image, a woman's inclination is to desire to be appreciated as such; to be given an undivided attention, to be strongly desirable and appreciated, noticed, sought after and mesmerizing in a unique way set apart from the way any other woman is desired.  When every bit of this is due and deserving towards my God alone how can I take this desire, coupled with how God has designed me, to glorify Him? 

I want to rest in what Christ has accomplished for me on the cross, knowing that my value is completely redefined in this new identity.  I am not beautiful in my heart of hearts.  I am utterly stained and defiled in regards to my offense to this holy God and deserving of judgement that I can't even fathom.  Yet, God has designed me in such a way that may or may not appear to be "beautiful" in regards to my mind, soul, personality, outward appearance, quarks.  How do I, or anyone, take this entirely and offer it to our LORD who has offered Himself entirely to us?  I hope to discover this increasingly more with my life in Christ; to be an Esther that uses her beauty unto the glory of God.  Beauty is not measured by how many "likes" I get on a Facebook picture, the attention I do or don't receive from single men, the reflection I see in a mirror, or the compliments I receive from women.  It can only come from me being confident and still in the love that God has for me in my status in Christ and the fullness of life that I receive only from that relationship perfected.  Thankfully, the LORD has already accomplished this battle.  He is making us new from one degree of glory to another and will make it complete and perfectly beautiful in His timing
(Ecc 3:11).  

Jesus, please help others and myself to remain humbly confident by your Spirit; to not destruct, devalue and cheapen ourselves or each other. Set our gaze on you and captivate our hearts.
You are holy.