Occasionally, my husband and I catch the popular british television show "Keeping up appearances". The main character of this show is so involved in being someone she really isn't. Always going the extra mile to be seen at the right places, doing the right things, wearing the right clothes and saying the right things.
I would like to say that I'm not at all like this. But sometimes, I guess I am. When I focus on pleasing man more than I please God ... then I guess I am keeping up with appearances.
Having a birthday this week reminded me of how many times we try to please man. As I get older, I am more aware of the importance that we often put on our looks and our shapes. It seems like no matter where I look, I see advertisements for hair color, diet plans, exercise equipment, tanning packages, wrinkle removers and tummy tucks. I have reached the age that ALL of these things seem appealing to me.
But I have to ask myself this ... am I making myself appealing for others? or for myself? Am I concentrating more on what is on the outside than the inside? Imagine what it would be like if we cared for the maturing spirit as much as we do the aging outer body.
If we would powder and pluck away those things that are eating away at our inner beauty - we might find that keeping up our appearance for Christ is realizing that God loves us just like we are and it is the condition of our heart that He is concerned with and not the condition of our skin.
PSALM 90:17 "And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us."
["It is impossible to please everybody, but it is not impossible to please God."]
and that is a piece of my heart today!
Laurie, first of all ...happy birthday! I understand as each year goes by and I look in the mirror and my reflection changes slowly. I loved this line you wrote:
ReplyDelete"Imagine if we cared for the maturing spirit as much as we do the aging outer body."
What an excellent point Laurie. I want to mature in my spirit and grow up in my faith. I like to take care of my outward body but ...I want to focus more on my inward spirit.
Blessings and love on your special day today Laurie!
Debbie
Happy Birthday sweetie, many birthday blessings to you. You are beautiful on the inside and outside. I love you.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Laurie! And OUCH. I understand. Now that I am 42, I notice wrinkles, gray hairs, different texture in my skin, etc. You're right. We should be more focused on our inner beauty -- a surrendered life to Christ.
ReplyDeleteYour are soo right Laurie. I have noticed that in today's world there are sooo many women practically frantic in their effort to appear younger that it becomes the focus of their lives. Rushing for surgeries, stressing over the latesting wrinkle or unwanted pound. Even with VERY young women. My daughter told me the other day one of her high school friends has already gotten some botox. She is 23!! How sad this is really. And your right, IMAGINE what things might be like if all of these women were as "frantic" to address their inner beauty?? To me there is nothing as sad as the woman who cannot let herself gracefully age. It's so obviously how they measure their worth. This was a great post.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU LAURIE!! May the Lord makes His face to shine upon you now and for many more years to come....
Happy Birthday, Laurie! I am right there with you except a year older!
ReplyDeleteIf you find the fountain of you...save some for me. But, all the fussing over our outward appearance isn't going to change the fact that we are getting older and are at "that age". **Nothing a good old pedicure won't make us feel better about...lol**
The wonderful news is that the inward appearance can become more energetic, lovely, beautiful, youthful, happy and glowing as long as we fill it with His love, His presence, His beauty and His spirit.
Thanks for a wonderful reminder to me today as to what is most important.
Love you! We need to plan our next pedicure getway.
Happy Birthday!!! Love your blog, enjoy that show (lol) and I hate two of my daughter's 22 and 23 think they are getting so old.. ahhh I hate to hear them when they get 40.
ReplyDeleteErika
Good post. Excellent point.
ReplyDeleteAm playing blog catch-up again, and see I missed your birthday. Hope it was a special day. Happy Belated Birthday!!!