The Standard of Beauty

 This is something I think about constantly. What IS the standard of beauty, WHO establishes it, WHY do we even have one?! And when it comes down to it, what is my standard? Where do I find my own beauty, and how do I embrace it? As a 23 year old woman living in the U.S., this is not. easy.

What I continue to find, is that there is no reason why it shouldn't be easy. The reason it isn't is because of the society we live in, and our failure to prioritize correctly the values we hold in our lives. My number one priority is my relationship with Christ. Without it, and without Him, I am nothing. I can't focus, I can't achieve any semblance of a task, and I hate everything. But when I am grounded in Him, and spend my time with the Savior, I find myself feeling a whole swarm of things: joy primarily, peace amidst chaos, love, warmth, and even.... beautiful. So here I go.

Here in the U.S., we believe beauty is......

A symmetrical face, perky pouty lips, tan skin, highlighted hair, and, most importantly, a very thin and toned body. Here's reality.......

A menagerie of sizes, shapes, and colors. Personally, I find this faar more beautiful than our culturally-concocted stereotype of what beauty looks like. God did not make us all tall, thin, and tan. He made us so extremely different. But the fact that we've created this idea that there is a box within which beauty remains tears women down on a daily, nay, hourly basis. Myself included. What I am continuing to learn, however, is that America does not define beauty. Nor does Victoria's Secret, nor the women in my life, nor even the guys I date. My beauty is defined by God and God alone. And the most beautiful thing in women, I feel, is not outward. The most beautiful thing in women, I feel, is the fact that every single one of them, of us, is different. Courtney is quiet and brilliant, our friend Sanni is loving and vibrant, my sister is hilarious and kind, my mother is full of life and song and love. Every woman in my life is entirely different from the others, and it's the most beautiful thing I can think of. And most importantly, Christ dwells within each and every one of them. Christ's inexplicable beauty and majesty shines so brightly through them that they are astoundingly and breathtakingly beautiful. 

The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord.

Psalm 45:11

So this is what I've learned. The Lord does not make ugly things. He makes incredibly beautiful things, and it is not our job to define that beauty. He already has. What we need to do is discover our beauty, accept it, embrace it, thank God for it, and let it shine. We need to not compare ourselves constantly to other women, because we are not them and we are not going to be them and there is a fantastic reason for that. God made me Ariel. No one else can be Ariel, and that is a wonderful thing. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 139:14

My prayer is that you will know how beautiful and precious you are. That you will see Christ's light and magnificence within you. I pray you won't allow this society to determine your beauty and value for you. Beauty means something entirely different in other countries, it meant something entirely different one hundred years ago, and it will mean something entirely different in one hundred more years. But there is one definition that is lasting and permanent. There is one who will always find you breathtakingly beautiful, and He is the one you can always find solace, serenity, and warmth in. Turn your face to our Savior when you want to be told you're beautiful. His answer will forever be: 

"All beautiful you are my darling. There is no flaw in you" 

Song of Songs 4:7

I love you and your beauty

Ariel