Created in His Image

If you were asked what is your favorite thing to look at, would you answer yourself in the mirror?  Most people would consider this vain thinking.  But if that were asked of me, I would not even come close to that answer.  There are only two times I like looking in the mirror.  One, to make sure there is nothing on my face.  Two, to see Little Bit when she is looking in the mirror.  Otherwise, I am not a friend of the mirror.  I do not like what it reflects.  You can say I do not have much confidence in my appearance. 

But my daughter.  Little Bit is precious.  When she looks in the mirror, she will tell you that she is pretty.  Whenever I comb her hair, her response is always “pretty.” And she is.  We don’t ever want her thinking differently.   We will continue to instill in her confidence and worth.  Something her mother has not had much of.

Whenever we (Hubby and I) are out with Little Bit, our friends always comment on who she looks like.  There have been times that people will say she looks like me.  I always have to freeze my thoughts.  I can either accept what they say as truth and believe that if she is pretty and looks like me, I must be pretty as well.  Or I say, no, she doesn't because she is pretty.  But if I choose the latter, then in essence, I am saying she is not pretty because I think I am not pretty.  How can I say that about the most precious thing I have ever created? 

But I can go the opposite way as well.  In Genesis 1, God said “let us make man in Our image”.  As the creator of the universe, God is not going to make junk.  He is not going to make something He would not deem worthy or pretty.  So what am I saying about God when I look at myself and see someone unworthy?  What am I saying about God when I look in the mirror and make noises in disgust because of what I see?  If I am made in His image, then I must have some resemblance of Him.  Just like Little Bit has some of my characteristics, I must have some of God’s. 

In Ephesians 2:10, we are told “we are God’s workmanship, created in Jesus Christ for His good works”.  God made me.  Then how can I claim that I am not pretty.  How can I claim I am not good enough?  How can I claim I am unworthy?  I can’t.  God created me!  God made me the way I am for a purpose.  He has a work for me to do.  Just like He does for you, too! 

I can’t let the world’s standard for beauty affect my standard.  I can’t let what the world thinks is beautiful make me think I am not.  My husband told me about a month ago, “You are my standard for beauty.”  I can’t call my husband a liar.  He is not.  I know that I am real while what the world deems as beautiful is air brushed and photo shopped.  I am a child of God.  He created me.  Therefore, I am not ugly. 

I can change my opinion of myself.  I can work on my self-image.  I can see myself the way my husband sees me, the way I see my daughter, the way God sees me.  But it will take time and practice.  And it will only happen By God’s Amazing Grace.