Bill Cosby was noted for telling his children, “Remember who you are.” When they became teenagers he said, “Don’t tell anybody who you are.”
Kids see mistake parents make. They see our inconsistencies. Sunday mornings can be hurried and filled with frenzy. We insist they hurry. We have our hands around their neck telling them, “You hurry up so we can to worship and learn about the “Love of God.”
Nothing teaches us perseverance and endurance like bringing children into the world. I remember when both of our children were born. It was 12 hours of sheer hard labor, crying, screaming, pain and excruciating waiting. And, then there was Jody.
Years ago Olympic champion Jackie Joyner Cursy was competing for her last time. The commentator began to describe how old she was, how her aging legs could not perform like they did in her youth. She proceeded to jump 24 feet in the long jump competition. So much for tired legs.
What makes us important? Looks? Intelligence? Years ago, Brooke Shields speaking about an Anti-Smoking campaign said, “Cigarettes kill you. If killed you have lost an important part of your life.” True!
What makes us different? We are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27-28). But, we have stained that image (Rom. 3:23). God did not give up. He provided a way that we can be made new. He offered redemption (Rom. 3:24-26). Now we can be a new creation, His special creation to bring forth good works (2Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:10). Further, we can be transformed into the image of Christ to regain that image stained by sin (2Cor. 3:18).
Christians are not like everyone else. We are different. Remember your story of coming to Christ? Remember when you had the burden of your heart rolled away? Remember how you felt with the relief of guilt? Now look in the mirror. Who do you see? Satan or Christ?
What makes us beautiful? We are beautiful not because of what others think of us externally. Can we please learn that? Seriously! Young people and older people think it is the external that makes them beautiful. They endanger their health with anorexia and bulimia trying to attain the external that the world says is beautiful. Yes, I realize those two diseases are more complicated than that but that is part of the aim. It is not how tall, thin or fit we are that makes us in the image of God. It is the inner man. There is no perfect body for a woman or a man. Even the inner man will never be flawless, but the inner man can be complete.
We are not beautiful because of how others accept us or approve of what we do. We are not beautiful because we make others smile or laugh or feel good. We are beautiful of what God makes us.
It does not matter what others think of us. It is not how others judge us. It matters what God thinks of us. Our beauty comes from how God views us. Our self esteem comes from inside. Grow from the inside out (Psalms 17:15; 1Pet. 3:1-7). .
by Rickie Jenkins
rickiej08@gmail.com
