As I was putting on my makeup the other morning, I noticed the smattering of freckles on my face from being in the sun over the weekend and frowned. Don't get me wrong, I think freckles are cute, on everyone else but me! :D Then I remembered a conversation my mom and I had this past weekend as we read the Bible together, Song of Solomon 1:5-6 to be exact.
"Dark am I, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon. Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun."
The love of Solomon's life apparently didn't like the fact that she was dark-skinned. Maybe at that time it was considered more desirable to be fair. Anyway, what jumped out to my mom and I is that in that same line she says, "yet lovely". We'd both never really seen or thought much about this before.
We all have things about us that we don't like, wish we could change, and are self-conscious about. I could give you a whole list! Yet we need to realize despite what we consider flaws, that we really are lovely, beautiful, exactly the way we are. If we could view ourselves the same way that God sees us, we'd see that He's not holding us up to the world's mostly fake standard of beauty. The things that make us unique (that we don't often like) are the signatures He's stamped us with that make us who we are.
So my friends, when you look in the mirror and see something about yourself that you don't like, think: I have (..freckles, or whatever), but I am lovely. Because you really are! =)
I am imperfect
but still You love me
exactly as I am.
All of my flaws
You see as beauty.
You've fashioned me
with Your hand.
Help me to see me
the way that You do,
as beautiful,
one of a kind-
Your captivating bride.
and precious jewel,
the apple of Your eye.
(C) 2009 Anna Deitrich
Until next time, lovelies!
Anna
You know I love your freckles!