Unshackled Moments ~ May 31, 2017 ~ Making Ourselves Beautiful

Despite the social media memes and videos about Walmart customers and how it may have been for us during our way to and time at the bottom, most people care about what they look like when they go out in public. Sometimes those who look like and perhaps pretend they don't care may care a lot. I can attest to the fact that the sloppy, I don't care but I still look cool look can take a lot more effort than one might think. And sometimes maybe we don't care, or at least don't try, because our self esteem has been shattered, because we have been rejected and put down by others so often after trying that we quit. At least if they make fun then, we hadn't tried, and that hurts less.

But something that I have seen happen in recovery, time and time again, as people find freedom and a life worth living, there is also often an increase effort to look like some care and consideration went into the appearance. And for others, caring about how we look in public just seems normal. Oh wait, I can't go in there. I'm not dressed for it. I don't know how many times I have heard women refuse to go to one place or another because they have no makeup on. And it probably won't surprise anyone to know that one of the first and main questions I am ever asked when someone is thinking of visiting my church is what is OK to wear? How do people dress at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship? Because there are some churches where if you can't dress and look the part you might as well not show up, where people make someone who doesn't look right feel so unwelcome and uncomfortable that they can't stand it and never return. Even a guy like me will take a glance at my reflection, maybe run a hand through my hair or put the stray strands back into the pony tail, before walking into a meeting or a store or restaurant.

I am not going to say that we shouldn't care what we look like, although it shouldn't consume us. If I have been working and have gotten dirty, I am not going to let that keep me from going into a store if I need something, or from getting something to eat. And I am not going to let the opinions of others choose my likes and dislikes and how I dress, wear my hair, etc. But there is one way that we should be seriously considered with appearance, always.

It's strange to me that we often see, hear and perhaps convey the idea ourselves that beauty comes from within and yet we act as though only outward appearance matters. We say true beauty is more about confidence, character and charisma than appearance. We say that being beautiful is about who you are as a person and how you treat others and make them feel. Even scripture tells us the best beauty advice is to care about the inside. Do not let your adornment be merely outward - arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel - rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:3-4).

So why is it, if we say the inside matter more than the outside, that we will go somewhere without checking our heart and our attitude where we would not think about going without checking our appearance? I am so guilty of this. I've had a bad day, and I am upset, frustrated, angry. It's like I've been working in a sewer. I stink. So I am not going around people if I can help it without cleaning up first. There's not caring that I'm a little dirty when I go into Walmart, and there's being so nasty that people three aisles over are catching a whiff and turning the opposite direction. I wouldn't go in anywhere that nasty if I could help it, but I don't hesitate to walk through a crowd with my flesh stinking. When I do that, people don't see Jesus in me. They don't receive the sweet aroma of the love of God poured out for them.

We wear our selfishness, our self centeredness, and our own will like immodest clothing, exposing ourselves in ways that make us look out of place, and worse. We forget when we are worrying about how we look in public that our heart should be the most beautiful thing about us. I'm not saying to wear a mask or pretend we feel something we don't, or manipulate people with false kindness and compassion. That's like drenching yourself in bad perfume or cologne. You might think you are making yourself smell good or covering up what isn't right or attractive, but people next to you are tearing up, holding their breath, starting to get a little nauseated and wishing they could get some distance between them and you. No, I'm talking about making sure our heart is clean and right.

To start the day with a heart shower is for more important than our outward hygiene and dress, not that I am saying don't wash your body or brush your teeth or whatever. I'm saying we need, each day, to take the time with God to make sure our spirit is surrendered and connected to the One who cleans us, who loves us and loves through us, to wash away our old nature, instincts, attitudes and stink and have them replaced with the new nature. compassionate and merciful heart that has a sweet smell of love. And let us not just take a spiritual shower in the mornings and evenings, but before we are about to be around people, let's look to the Spirit for our reflection to check ourselves, to make sure our attitude and heart look right before we go near others, so that our mess doesn't offend, doesn't drive them away, but rather His grace makes us beautiful to those around us, drawing them in closer so that they experience the love of Jesus and we can be of maximum service to God and others.

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