Popular culture has some pretty strict standards for being considered a “beautiful” person. Advertising, television, and music all boldly proclaim that your body need to be primped, brushed, waxed, tanned, cut, and anorexic before you will be successful in life.

What a shame.

This incredible pressure from popular culture has sharply increased our rates of eating disorders and no doubt, many other depressive symptoms and probably even suicide rates.

What makes me nervous is that this thinking has been making its way into teen groups in good baptist churches. Yes I understand that we have a duty and a responsibility to take care of our bodies since they are on loan from God. I wouldn’t want him to come back and be disgusted at how I’ve kept up the place! But with that said, we were all given different bodies with different shapes, sizes, and looks.

What does the Bible say about our outward appearance?

One good example that comes to mind is the well known story of Samuel looking for a new king for the people of Israel. God doesn’t care too much about how our outside looks. Anyone can put on a good show, but this blip of life is so transient when viewed within the scope of eternity that a few extra pounds, a zit, or braces hardly have even the smallest significance.

Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Maybe we should all go back to the Bible and realize that our souls are more important than our bodies.

Every woman should read Proverbs 31 and focus on verse 30: Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised

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