What Do You See in the Mirror?

Meet Lynn Mosher: Lynn writes about many topics, but I was struck by one she wrote about women’s appearance.

“In the morning,” she said, “when you get up and look into the bathroom mirror, scratching here and there, what stares back at you? Do you like that image? When you’re all gussied up, do you like that image better?”

Lynn shares some simple tips to help women consider their appearance from a biblical perspective.

Body image. We all have one of ourselves, whether positive or negative. Unfortunately, having a negative body image affects many women (and men). The media pressures us with the ideas of being young, slim, and wrinkle free.

However, our true image comes from God, as the Bible tells us in Genesis 1:27. When God looks at you, what does He see? He sees His beautiful child – the physical temple for the presence of His Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19 NLT).

So, how do we view His temple? Naturally, we all want to look our best, but a good appearance does not always indicate a healthy body. If you want to change the image you have of your body by dieting, surgery, or injections, what is the real reason behind it? Is your focus an outward appearance or a healthier body?

Does our body image attitude spurn the image God gave us? How do we treat our body? Most of us would do well to respect the earthly body God gave us by having better eating habits, drinking more water, getting more exercise, sleeping more, etc.

Jesus said, “There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.” (Luke 12:23 Msg)

We each have our own external presence, but it makes no difference to the Lord. Samuel said, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7b NIV) He knows all about us, even the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30 NIV). He knew us before He created us:  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV)

The next morning you look in the mirror and are tempted to grumble at what you see, say this to God as David did, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it.” (Psalm 139:13-14 TLB)

The mirror merely reflects the physical; the true mirror is Christ.

Do you reflect God’s image?
“Glorify God by making your bodies the shrines of His presence.” (1 Corinthians 6:20 Knox)

Lynn Mosher lives with her hubby (since 1966) in their Kentucky nest, emptied of three chicklets and embraced three giggly grand-chicklets and an inherited dog. Lynn’s passion is to encourage others and glorify the Lord with her writing.

Stop by for a refill at her website, Heading Home, lynnmosher.com.

Note: Lynn recommends the book Body Image Lies Women Believe by Shelley Hitz.

          LINKED TO:  Raising Homemakers.