See Yourself the Way Our Creator Sees You

In my previous post, we started our exploration into what the Bible says about beauty. It’s such a fascinating topic that I didn’t want to stop there. So we’re continuing on here! Please have a read if you haven’t already.

What does beauty mean to you? How do you define your worth or your value? Is it when you’re wearing your most fabulous dress that you know will get you compliments? Is it when you leave the salon?

Or perhaps you see your value when you get some well-deserved kudos, a promotion at work, or when you land the job you’ve been vying for.

Because that’s exactly what I do.

How does God see you? You might be thinking, sure that’s easy enough to answer. God's not bogged down by things of this world as we are. He sees us as His creation.

But knowing God sees us is one thing. Actually believing it, especially when you're scrolling past another influencer with radiant skin, or standing in front of your bathroom mirror wondering if a jar of ...fill in the blank... will get rid of those dark spots that keep popping up, that's another thing entirely.

The beauty industry makes so much money by convincing us that beauty comes from something that we can buy. I admit, I’m a MAC girl myself. And as I write this, I’m almost out of mascara.

Yet scripture tells a radically different story.

Let's dig into what the Bible says makes us valuable and worthy. HINT: No purchase necessary!

This verse is talking about wisdom, but the language here is breathtaking. More precious than rubies…nothing compares.

I assure you, I don’t own any rubies. But rubies were among the most valuable gemstones in ancient times. They were rare, beautiful, and worth more than gold. Their value was well-known.

That's how God sees wisdom. That's how God sees us when we pursue what matters.

And so now for the gut-check. What am I chasing? What am I spending my time, money, and energy going after?

When you think about it, our culture has made beauty a form of currency. If you look good enough, doors will open, people will love you, and life will be perfect.

But wisdom, the kind that builds character and sharpens discernment, is what brings us value. It's what I hope people will remember about me long after my lipstick fades (on the days I’m coordinated enough to even put it on).

I don’t think this means that I can't enjoy makeup, skincare, or taking care of my appearance. But when those things become the measuring stick for my worth, then I’ve traded rubies...for rhinestones.

Real beauty cannot be purchased. But it can be cultivated. And when I pursue God’s wisdom, my value will outshine any product on a shelf.

Back in elementary school, I recall doing arts and crafts as assignments for various holidays throughout the year. Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, you name it. My creations would, of course, go to my parents as gifts.

And as any loving parent would do, they oohed and aahed at my ramshackle creations of glue and misshapen pieces of paper.

Once the holiday was over, my creations inevitably found themselves in the trash. No, I wasn’t artistically inclined, so it was the right thing to do!

Thankfully we are not my handiwork, we are God’s handiwork. We are God's masterpieces, His works of art, His carefully crafted creations.

We were made on purpose, with purpose, and for a purpose. One interpretation is that there’s nothing that needs to be fixed or enhanced before we’re considered acceptable.

Therefore my purpose has nothing to do with my dress size or my hair texture (phew, thank God for that)!

For me, society's obsession with beauty is a distraction. It keeps me focused on…me. All of my flaws and my insecurities. And it stops me from stepping into the fullness of what I was created to do.

What would happen if I spent half the time/energy/money I’ve poured into trying to "fix" me, and channeled it into my calling instead? Imagine if we ALL did that?

My goodness, what a wonderful world it would be.

Taken out of context, all of Proverbs 31 can be misunderstood. I don’t think the goal is to be better than other women.

Rather, the Proverbs 31 woman is revered for her character, her work ethic, and her strength.

She speaks with wisdom and she helps the poor and the needy.

I don’t see any mention of her looks or her figure. She is praised because she fears the Lord. The world has trained us to believe that beauty is our most valuable asset.

But it’s not true!

And while there's nothing wrong with presenting myself well, when beauty becomes my primary focus, I shrink and become “of this world.”

We were made for noble things.

This might be the most quoted verse on self-worth in Scripture. And for good reason! It's counter-cultural, that’s for sure.

The word "fearfully" here isn’t that God was scared when He made us. We were made with reverence and with awe. The kind of attention that demands respect.

When things are mass-produced, they’re made from a template that gets used over and over again. So we then expect for the output to be exactly the same. In fact, we’re disappointed (or upset) when it’s not!

But, my friend, you and I were wonderfully and uniquely made. That means we’re full of complex, remarkable, and breathtaking things.

And yet…how much time do I spend critiquing the very body God calls wonderful? How many minutes do I spend in front of the mirror picking apart what He says is fearfully made?

If I am wonderful and unique, then I’m not supposed to look like everyone else.

I need to live like someone who knows she’s a masterpiece because I know who made me.

If you’re anything like me, then there’s still that strong societal presence that says beauty is something I buy or strive to achieve. And while I know that these Bible verses are full of truth, I have a game of tug of war going on in my mind.

I wish I could tell you that I have some magic pixie dust that you can sprinkle and make all of your insecurities go away. Nope, no can do.

My prayer is for God to continue His work in me and through me. Because heaven knows, I’m a work in progress.