Beauty in the Eyes of Our God
We are probably all familiar with the nineteenth century fairy tale “The Ugly Duckling.” It tells the story of a baby swan (cygnet) who was hatched along with who he thought were his siblings but who were actually ducklings, and so he was ridiculed and ostracized because they perceived him as ugly.
If the “ugly ducking” had been hatched in his mother swan’s nest, he would have been seen as beautiful. So what changed? Nothing! He was always beautiful. It was the perception of others that changed what he thought of himself.
How many times do we find ourselves swayed by what others say about us or by how we think they feel about us? Or, what is even worse, when we let our inner criticizing voice say disparaging things about ourselves to ourselves, and then we believe what we hear?
What a challenge it is to look into a mirror and not see the false notion that we are ugly but rather the beauty each of us holds.
“For we are God’s handiwork,” God’s masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps 139:14)
God does not see as a mortal who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)
May we look into the mirror each day and see the beauty that God sees.