It is the height of summer, and many people are choosing to spend some time outside with the 4th coming up. There will be fireworks, cookouts, family time, and lots of laughter. For some though, this can bring a different set of challenges. It is bathing suit, tank tops, and the season for dresses. This can leave some girls (and let’s face it, women too) struggling with their image. This is an important time to reinforce the image of God. Let’s unpack this and see what the Bible has to say about having a Godly image.
First off, God created you and me! Genesis 1:26-27 puts it this way “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”. God created you and I which means that He gave me all these freckles and knows how many hairs are on your head! (Luke 1:27) He took the time to design you, to create you, to knit you together in your mothers’ womb. (Psalm 139:13) We need to unleash on our selves the power of how God sees us. The lens we look through is often colored by other people’s opinion of us and how the world sees us. This is not a true and valid image and so where do we turn? We turn to the Bible, to the knowledge that God creates good things.
Second, we need to evaluate WHAT God sees when He looks at us. He is not looking at our outward appearance (Girl, you look so cute in that top!), He is looking inward. God seeks to examine our hearts. 1 Samuel 16:7 says it like this “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or the height of stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”. This is a critical insight to how God sees us and wants us to see ourselves. He looks at our hearts to determine our love for our brothers and sisters. To see the beauty that lies within, to see the care we express for those around us. He does not care if we are sporting the latest kicks or what is considered high fashion. Today, you can make a choice to examine your heart to see yourself as He does. You can close your eyes and speak truth about the things He sees deep inside of you. Teach your children, especially your girls to do this. To learn to look in for the value of a person instead of their checkbook. Sometimes a person can be very attractive, and look put together until they open their mouths. Have you ever had that happen? What we hold in our hearts comes out of our mouths. When we choose to see ourselves as God sees us, it allows us to better understand the people He created. We are each unique and so we cannot use the same lens to view each other, UNLESS we are using God’s lens.
Lastly, we need to understand HOW He made us. God literally spoke and it was created. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth” Psalm 33:6. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says not only did He make us beautiful in time, but nobody can also fathom the works that He has done. We aren’t going to be able to understand beauty in each person, that is why they say, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. Every person on the face of the planet is beautiful in their on way. We can know that God made each of us special and unique. We each have talents and abilities that can set us apart and when paired with someone else we can accomplish great things! My talent is not necessarily how cute I may be on the outside, but in the talents we hold on the inside. The amazing thing is that God was able to speak all of it into existence. “For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen”. He created you and it wasn’t an accident.
Today I want you to lean back into the knowledge that He created you, all of you, and that He did a good work in you. You have the power to combat the lies that Satan tries to throw at us about our image. We can stand strong and steady in the understanding that God knows you, all of you, and He calls you his sons and daughters. Rejoice in His creations, that includes you!
Child Evangelism Fellowship Greater Greensboro 