I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14
I’ve always been on the bigger side. I was a ten-pound baby and now I am a five foot, ten inch woman. I have big bones. I have big hands, so big that I can palm a basketball. I have what some would refer to as ‘birthing hips’ and I wear a size eleven shoe. To make matters worse, now that I am a thirty-something with an inactive thyroid, my middle section is becoming less defined day by day leaving me with a larger waistline than I’d prefer. And I have a host of fine lines surrounding my eyes.
The old me tried really hard to cover up my flaws. I would squeeze my feet into shoes that were too small, or try not to extend my fingers all the way in hopes that nobody would notice how big my hands were. I’d only wear flat shoes so I didn’t accentuate my height.
But thankfully, as I’ve gotten older, God has taught me to love myself and all of my “imperfections”. Because the truth is that they aren’t really imperfections at all. This is the way that God uniquely designed me, and to not like the way that He made me is actually an insult to Him. It took me a while, but now I’m happy to say that I’m comfortable in my own skin.
My perspective has changed. Beauty is not found in the perfect sized body or a flawless face. We have lines around our eyes because when we smile, our eyes smile too. We have stretchmarks on our bellies because we nurtured the lives of precious babies in our wombs. I have large hands and feet so I can hold my babies securely and carry them where they need to go. A woman’s body is beautiful. Majestic even. No matter what shape, size or color.
You are beautiful.
Our society tries to dictate to us what beautiful should look like ,and they have it wrong. What they market to us is unattainable and unnatural. They package beauty wrapped up in unrealistic expectations that promote starvation, Botox, and plastic surgery. They create an image that is not real. One that none of us should, or could, live up to. They photo-shop real women to accentuate what they like and shrink what they deem less desirable. As if we are an object or trophy to be put on display. Leaving us feeling less than beautiful and insecure of our appearance.
Beauty, a perfect body, and youthfulness become our idol. Because we think that being beautiful and young is what makes us valuable. But that is a lie.
You are valuable no matter what you look like, and you are worthy. Worthy of respect. Worthy of love.
True beauty comes from within. It’s in our eyes. Our eyes tell our story without saying a single word. Our spirit and soul shine through our eyes, reflecting our heart. Beauty is in our body’s expression; through a warm embrace, or our hands lifted high in adoration to God. Beauty is in a soul that loves and serves others selflessly.
This body is only our vessel, the house that our spirit lives in. It is the vehicle that we drive here on earth. Our value is not in our body or appearance, it’s in our identity as children of God. To Him we are worth far more then silver or gold.
We are worth it all.
Let’s not let our insecurities hold us back. Let’s be confident and hold our heads high. Let’s embrace ourselves and perceived imperfections. Let’s love our body and care for it. Let’s respect it.
So now, I will lift my hands high in worship and not be embarrassed by their size. I will not spend one more day wishing I looked different because life is too precious of a gift to waste time dwelling on that.
