Sarah (pron. Say `Ruh) (n) def: Queen of Lynchburg, Tetris Master, Diva, Dreamer.

What is Beauty exactly?

Put yourself alone in a room with God and ask yourself this question.

I am not conventionally beautiful by the world’s standards. The opposite sex does not fall over themselves to be in my presence because of how beautiful, cute, or pretty I am. And for years I have dealt with inferiority and self esteem issues because of this fact. I have picked myself apart and criticized every flaw that I have. I have pointed out each of my deficiencies and physical abnormalities that contribute to my lack of worldly beauty.

Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

I have come to a realization about myself. I read a book that puts into question what we consider beauty and what we consider ugly. What is our basis for thinking something exists within these boundaries. You have to think about light and darkness. Darkness doesn’t exist, but is merely the absence of light. Ugliness doesn’t exist. It is merely the absence of [conventional] beauty. I have come to terms with the fact that I won’t be a beauty queen one day or “that girl” that every guy falls over themselves to be near. If God had wanted me to live in that shallow life where beauty is my goal and something I live in daily, He would’ve created me more into the world’s standards. But he didn’t. Instead He created me in His image and because I am in His image I am flawless, beautiful, and free of the boundaries of the world’s standards of beauty.

This is not a concept that is easily grasped by people. We have been programmed that being beautiful means you have to be skinny, gorgeous, beautiful smile, perfect teeth, fashion sense, perfect makeup…but guess what. No one I have ever met meets these standards, and when we strive to step up to these standards we fall miserably short and in turn create a life of tortuous self esteem issues, because we don’t meet these standards.

I might not be the most physically appealing person, but what standards of beauty are you measuring me against? I have often felt inadequate as a woman because I did not fit into the “perfect-little-box” of what a man is looking for. But then it hit me. Would I rather be physically attractive to the men I meet and then have to “sift” my way through the sea of souls to find the one that God wants for me OR would I rather be protected until God has the one I am supposed to be with ready and at that moment God will be the one to unveil the beauty that is me to him…Personally, I would rather have my heart protect by my Father until its time for my heart to unite with another. And I would rather that my value be based upon what I am doing, and not what I look like.

It’s the heart that matters. A beautiful heart, a joyful countenance, a hopeful spirit, a peaceful presence. God does not want our beauty, he wants our hearts. If he had wanted our beauty He wouldn’t have created us to live in shells that grow old and fall apart. The world’s standards fall painfully short of what God sees in each of us…if we can open our eyes and realize this. He made me in His image, which means I am “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

So…today I challenge you to ask yourself, what do you consider beauty to be?