You Are Beautiful

“. . . The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the

outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

I Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

Sitting in stunned silence, along with the students and coaches, I listened to the beautiful poised self-assured student in front of us share her heart with a frankness that I had not heard before that moment. Being a sponsor for FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) had given me many opportunities to be a part of high school students gathering each week at school to praise the Lord and to offer encouragement but never in all those years was I as surprised as on the day that Kay shared.

“I remember the first time I ever heard the song Beautiful by Mercy Me,” she said. “My friends and I were in the band room before school and someone randomly picked that song to play. God works in crazy ways, because that song was exactly what I needed to hear. I started to cry and my friends came up and hugged me, not knowing what was going on.”

She read part of the lyrics: “Days will come when you don’t have the strength. When all you hear is you’re not worth anything. Wondering if you ever could be loved and if they truly saw your heart, they’d see too much. You’re beautiful. You are made for so much more than all of this. You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His. You’re beautiful in His eyes.”

Kay took a deep breath and continued. “This song touches me, because it’s something I struggle to believe. I have always struggled with my self image. I never think I’m pretty enough or the right weight or build and I am always afraid that my friends will think I’m too weird. If you know me, though, I appear confident. I’m the person always there to step up and take charge and the one who makes people laugh.”

In the quiet of the room she added yet another thought:  “I think I focus so much on other people so I don’t have to deal with my own problems. It would get hard, I’d get depressed, but I would never tell anyone because I’m a leader and leaders don’t have problems – right?” I looked around the room and saw student after student nod in agreement with Kay’s revelation.

She had touched hearts as she courageously shared. And then she ended with this precious encouragement to everyone: “I was lost but I know I am not alone. YOU are not alone. People say that it’s what’s on the inside that counts. It might sound cliché but it isn’t. It is God’s own words to us . . . each of us. We ARE beautiful, just the way we are.”

We live in a world that determines value by our physical appearance or number of activities we are involved in or how athletic we are or . . . fill in the blank. And if that isn’t enough, when we feel that we don’t meet the standards of society, we cannot let anyone know our hearts but instead hurry to cover our hurt with a blanket of busy so that no one will think less of us.

God’s word in I Samuel 16:7 is completely opposite of the world’s viewpoint. He says that while people around us simply look on the superficial, He looks at the most important part of us – our hearts. And He says that we are beautiful and of great worth in His sight.

Dare to stare the world in the face as Kay did and declare “I AM beautiful, just the way you made me, God.”

Father, may I never forget that you created me and see me as beautiful inside and out. Thank you for your eyes of love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Do you ever feel that you have to be strong for other people and can’t voice how you are truly feeling?

• What do you think holds you back from sharing your heartaches with those closest to you?

Apply

• Talk with a prayer warrior friend and ask her to be your accountability partner.

• Make time to honestly share your feelings and conflicts with her and pray together.

Power

• I Samuel 16:7 (NIV) “. . . The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

• I Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, 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.”        

• Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV) “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”