The word ugly was first used in popular English Literature sometime before 1050. My grandmother used the word all the time when she caught me being too mean to people. Standing at about five feet tall, she walked up to me and said with a small, shaky voice,"now baby, don’t be ugly.”
Webster's dictionary defines ugly as something that is contrary to beauty or offensive to sight.
UGLY?
Do you
remember a time when someone called you ugly? This is a word that is commonly
used to describe feelings of disgust over a particular person place or thing.
We all have experiences when it comes to how we look at ourselves and others. I can
speak from personal experience about this. I have two big ears and one crooked nose and
this can add up to one big zero for self-confidence. This was a challenge for me growing up, especially when trying to get
through high school. So it was during this time I began to ask
myself a question. Was I wonderfully and fearfully created in the image of God?
He loves me... He loves me not
The world
is flooded with opportunistic companies that keep us pampered and polished with
the things of our dreams: a pretty face, a chiseled body, and the perfect eye-popping hairdo. There is constant pressure from parading ads that tantalize us
into taking care of how we look. A finatical flaunting of the perfect size, shape and
sex appeal make it hard not to join in on this beauty bandwagon. It can be even harder to resist for those who have not been given the same high marks on the
beauty charts. In a beauty crazed world filled with nines and tens we can wind up feeling like a zero.
Eventually, after years of failure, I began to see the real me. I realized that no person or product in all the world can help me love myself and this was a
tough lesson for me to learn. I started to take care
of the looks I had been given and still have an added measure of respect and
humility for others. I was then able to see that so many people felt like God didn't love them just the way they are. This gave me a
glimpse into the ugly truth.
His Glorious Gaze
IMAGINE THIS! No matter who we are or what we do, there remains a silent struggle with self-love. This allows us to be the perfect
example for those who battle with the same thing. Everyone is worthy of being
in the center of His glorious gaze and with a continual uncovering of the blinders from
our eyes this brings an authentic vision into view. We see who we are through the eyes of God and we learn to linger in His awe inspiring attention.
He loves me and this is "the ugly truth."
NOTE: THE BATHTUB THEOLOGY AND AZ SECTIONS ARE ON THE
TOP LEFT SIDE OF BLOG.
*Feel free to leave a question,comment or concern.
NOTE: THE BATHTUB THEOLOGY AND AZ SECTIONS ARE ON THE
TOP LEFT SIDE OF BLOG.
*Feel free to leave a question,comment or concern.
I can relate...being pregnant doesnt make you feel attractive sometimes but God thinks im beautiful...what i look like isnt wHO i am...its a package im in...
ReplyDeleteBeing a MOM is the most beautiful thing in the world to me. I'm so proud of you Kristi.
DeleteI heard a song the other day with lyrics, "you were made to be seen and I (God) see you." Many of us can easily picture a stern and unpleasant look from a distant God. Could it be that His gaze is actually burning with intense love and compassion; joy and delight?! That we were made for that kind of gaze? A gaze so powerful that it can define a man's/woman's self-worth?
ReplyDeleteKyndl,
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of a time a few years ago - I had finally decided I needed to lose some weight - from a societal point of view - I wasn't "feeling the love". The interesting thing, though - as I began to work out and eat better - I realized that the true good in this wasn't how I looked - it was how I felt - more "love" for me...because of who I was on the inside - not just the outside. It was a great lesson in life, and in really taking to heart the idea of self love.
Thanks for being a shining star, and for creating this space that you have!
Lance,
DeleteBrother.Thank you for sharing. You love you and that is what matters the most because society never cares as much as you do. The writing is a new thing for me and I'm so happy you enjoyed this post.
There is such a huge constellation of writing stars and shining in your world even just a little would be more than I could ever hope for.