Does The Wrapping Paper Really Matter?
by John Trent
In today’s world of high speed internet and 24 x 7 coverage of celebrities and models, we are bombarded by images of media defined perfection and beauty. Unfortunately, our standards for beauty have been defined for us; thus creating unrealistic realities and mindsets for those who are exposed, especially our children.
As a result, we spend billions of dollars on make-up, clothes, diets, and countless hours shopping and working out in order to achieve these fabricated ideals and perceived perfections. So much focus! So much time!
What if? What if we exerted the same energy on the development of our inner beauty, our spiritual selves? What kind of impact would this inward focus have on our schools, our busy lives, our personal relationships, our governments and most importantly, our world? I’m confident we know the answer.
So many of us judge or are judged by how we look, our nationality, or race. Throughout our lives, we have been trained to accept one’s exterior as the determining factor of whether someone belongs; thus, sorting the average, the ugly, or the beautiful into groups or boxes. Many times, these learned associations determine whether or not we engage the individual in a meaningful relationship or even say 'Hello'.
In 1 Peter 3:3-4, Peter said, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
Today’s message is simple. Sometimes our human wrapping paper is a disguise for the potential gift inside. As the old saying goes, “beauty is only skin deep” and, maybe, just maybe, we should invest equal time on our own inner spirit and look past our learned behaviors. Kahlil Gibran wrote, “Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” So let your heart light shine.
As a result, we spend billions of dollars on make-up, clothes, diets, and countless hours shopping and working out in order to achieve these fabricated ideals and perceived perfections. So much focus! So much time!
What if? What if we exerted the same energy on the development of our inner beauty, our spiritual selves? What kind of impact would this inward focus have on our schools, our busy lives, our personal relationships, our governments and most importantly, our world? I’m confident we know the answer.
So many of us judge or are judged by how we look, our nationality, or race. Throughout our lives, we have been trained to accept one’s exterior as the determining factor of whether someone belongs; thus, sorting the average, the ugly, or the beautiful into groups or boxes. Many times, these learned associations determine whether or not we engage the individual in a meaningful relationship or even say 'Hello'.
In 1 Peter 3:3-4, Peter said, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
Today’s message is simple. Sometimes our human wrapping paper is a disguise for the potential gift inside. As the old saying goes, “beauty is only skin deep” and, maybe, just maybe, we should invest equal time on our own inner spirit and look past our learned behaviors. Kahlil Gibran wrote, “Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” So let your heart light shine.
No comments:
Post a Comment