“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
Do you think you are beautiful? I don’t know about you, but this question actually makes me cringe. Because, no, I definitely do not think I am beautiful. And I am not alone. A Dove survey found only 2% of women aged 18-64 considered themselves beautiful, and 96% wouldn’t use the word “beautiful” when describing themselves.
As a matter of fact, I grew up hearing, “Women are only good for one thing, attracting men. So they need to be beautiful, thin, and sexy”. And trust me, even from a very young age, I knew I would never be any of those things.
Thus, I have spent a lifetime living with this reality. Unfortunately, I’ve always felt “less than.” But when I met my husband five years ago and remarried in my fifties, he became the first person who ever told me I was beautiful. So, this actually made me uncomfortable. When I repeatedly told him I was not, he wholeheartedly disagreed. And then he said, “Of course, I find you physically attractive. But you are beautiful on the inside.”
I was speechless. This may have been the greatest compliment anyone has ever given me. My husband was saying I have a beautiful heart. And Friend, God sees us this way too! He looks at our hearts. “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV)
Like many women today, I look in a mirror and see all my flaws. After all, we live in a culture surrounded by images in the media and social media enhanced by Photoshop and AI. We see models and movie stars who are ageless and perfect because of Botox and plastic surgery. And while we may know most of what we see isn’t reality, we still compare ourselves to these unrealistic ideals, which wreaks havoc on our self-esteem.
So, we must start seeing ourselves as God sees us. We can only find the truth by looking in the mirror of God’s Word. The Bible tells us we are created in God’s image. (Genesis 1:27) We are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalms 139:14) And, we are God’s masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)
The Bible even gives us instructions for becoming beautiful. “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)
So how do we become more beautiful on the inside? We spend more time at Jesus’ feet, in relationship with Him. The better we know Him, the more His love will fill us and overflow onto those around us. “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, ASV)
Dear Heavenly Father, Help me stop comparing myself to others and start finding my truth worth reflected in your Word. Help me begin seeing myself as You see me. And thank you for loving me and making me beautiful from the inside out. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
