The first thing most people tend to notice about us is the way we look. When we hear compliments we feel rewarded, and when we get a disapproving look or judgmental comment, we feel embarrassed and less confident. So, we begin to start judging ourselves each time we look in the mirror, temporarily placing ourselves behind the critical eyes of someone viewing us. As we do this, we start to notice every imperfection, or every strong point about how we look. The fleshly values of the world place us under pressure to look appealing to others, so that we will be accepted and admired. It only makes sense then when we make sure that we fix things that aren’t appealing and accentuate the things that are, styling the hair that is acceptable and shaving off the hair that isn’t. We begin to deeply associate our own self-identity with our looks and as we grow, our confidence or lack thereof is closely linked, with how we look. But unfortunately, allowing our level of confidence to depend upon our appearance, and worrying about how we look, ends up letting us down because our outward beauty is changeable and rarely reflects our inward beauty. Our bodies were made with loving care by our Father, with even the tiniest of details knitted together and carefully considered by Him as He formed us in our mother’s womb. Because the world thinks that only certain things are normal or beautiful, we may wish we looked different, but the Lord has a plan for us, and we are perfect in His eyes. When we take the time to praise Him for turning His grace and hand to creating us, we realize that His plan is greater than any worldly criticism we can get about our outward appearance. When we have disabilities or unique features that others turn away from, we must remember that our Father does not look on us with human eyes, but instead sees our heart and our inner beauty. Our body is simply a shell for our soul, so let us use our time beautifying and perfecting our inner self rather than only improving our outer self. Instead of merely preening, plucking, and enhancing our body, we must also tend to our inner beauty, ornamenting our souls with the priceless jewels of kindness, patience, godliness and love. If Christ himself, in all His grace and perfect love, came in a lowly and homely body, than we too can boldly carry out our mission in God no matter what our shape, size, skin color, or looks. When we place our confidence in God, we place it in solid rock rather than a physical body that will age or fail. God carries us no matter how we look, and makes us beautiful in a way that truly counts.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, 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. 1 Peter 3:3-4

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:13-14

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. Isaiah 53:2