Yesterday, I saw the viral video of the DOVE #ChooseBeautiful campaign. This morning, I saw an advertisement for Cacique promoting their undergarments using the #I'mNoAngel campaign. Both are geared toward making a woman (girls) feel good about their body.
I appreciate the idea, but I still can't help thinking it doesn't solve the problem of girls not feeling beautiful. So, what will? I have a little girl, that will grow up and I want her to know her worth. I want my son to look at a girl and know her worth.
Some blame society for the distorted way women view themselves. I believe society, media, advertisements, etc, are all a symptom of the deeper issue. Fathers and mothers. Isn't that where it all starts? How a father talks to his daughter. How the father talks to his son. How the mother talks to her son. How the mother talks to her daughter. How a father talks to the mother. How the mother dresses. How the father dresses. How the mother and father view their physical and spiritual bodies. How the mother allows the father (and son) to talk to her. Who the parents allow to surround their children.
And let me pause to say, this issue is not a "FEMALE" issue. Boys grow up feeling inadequate or unworthy as well.
The world judges by what they can see. But, I don't want my children to be like the world. The world lives in darkness. The world has no hope. The world will be destroyed. I want my children to be like Christ. I want my children to live in the light. I want my children to have hope. I want my children to live eternally.
So, I will teach them that "the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because HE is your Lord, worship Him." (Psalm 45:11) I will teach them "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman (and man) who fears the Lord, she shall be praised..." (Proverbs 31:30) That is a lesson we need to teach our girls AND boys!
God does not see beauty as we do. Our bodies are only temporary shells for what is meant to last. I do believe we are to value and take care of these vessels. "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (1 Cor. 3:6-17) Like the house we live in, the structure itself is not what's important, but yet, the family that dwells there. However, I don't let my kids destroy the house and show disrespect.
So it is with our bodies. We should learn to love and respect our bodies because the most important thing dwells within! I want Lakyn to know she is smart, funny, important, wonderful, unique, strong, AND beautiful! I want Langston to know that he is smart, funny, important, wonderful, unique, strong, AND handsome! Not by societal definitions, but by spiritual definitions.
