About half of women in the United States feel unattractive without makeup (source). Based on my Twitter stream, a good percentage of women struggle to build solid friendships with other women in their communities. We battle feelings of insecurity and insignificance. We wonder if we are good enough at mothering, wife-ing, homemaking, and ministering.
Based on the popularity of books like Hope for the Weary Mom: Where God Meets You in Your Mess,Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions,and What Women Fear: Walking in Faith, I’d guess that deep down, we all fight regularly with some questions about our purpose, our value, and our usefulness. The struggle and strain of flesh against spirit pits our comparing, competitive hearts against the Word of God that speaks to our value and significance to the Lord. We recognize our need for something more … for something better than rules or rituals or five-step plans or ten-step methods. We need a Redeemer.
The brokenness of our world has left us wounded and wondering, “God, do you see me? Are you aware?“
But God does not leave us in this wandering place … He has a plan, a plan for our wholeness. From the beginning of time, He looked ahead to the moment when He would rescue us. When He would reach down to redeem us … when the price would be paid to buy us back.
The price wasn’t gold or silver. The cost of our redemption was a lamb. The Lamb.
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
This Lamb was described for us in Isaiah 53. Sometimes I think we forget how very human Jesus was. Consider this description:
He had no form or beauty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hid their faces; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:2-3)
Did you catch that? Jesus was easy to miss. There was nothing about His appearance that made Him attractive, He wasn’t one of the “beautiful people.” He was rejected by others and even despised. His life was marked by sorrow and grief.
Friends, sometimes I feel very easy to miss. I feel ugly and unnoticed. I am all to aware that I’m not one of the “beautiful people.”
Jesus gets that! This person who came to redeem us, He gets us! He knows what it is to be unnoticed and unappreciated. He understands what it feels like not to be chosen.
God’s plan for redemption didn’t hinge on Jesus’ popularity, His appearance, or His abilities. And God’s plan for each of us doesn’t rely on our popularity, our appearance, or our abilities. Jesus is our Redeemer because God chose Him for the task … and because Christ chose obedience to the Father.
And you, sweet momma who is looking at the calendar and wondering how to keep your Christmas centered on Christ, remember this:
The very Person who is our Rescuer, our Redeemer, knows you. He knows your heart and your desires and your struggles. And His concern is YOU! He longs for you to experience still moments with Him, to allow His presence to wash over you.
Today, I invite you to linger in His presence … and to know that He is Immanuel, God with us.
What does it mean to you that Jesus “had no beauty that we should be attracted to Him?”
The image above is from the Jesus, God’s Promise Revealed Tabletop Devotional. It’s absolutely gorgeous and is currently on sale at Dayspring for just $5.99!
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Kari Scare says
Good word today! Been doing a Proverbs 31 study with the ladies of my church and focusing on much the same idea. So thankful that it’s the inner beauty where God focuses. Takes a lot of pressure of us to appear beautiful all the time. Also, beauty is not simply in appearance in the physical sense. There’s so much more to it than that.
Kari Scare recently posted…How to… Run as if to Win the Race
Teri Lynne Underwood says
Oh Kari! Yes!! “Beauty is not simply in appearance in the physical sense. There’s so much more to it than that.” If only we could grasp that precious truth and the freedom it brings!
Kari Scare says
Do you think the Proverbs 31 woman shows us the true beauty of a woman? I am working my way through a study of this scripture at http://www.newhopeladies.com and am seeing her in a new light. Thoughts?
Kari Scare recently posted…How to… Run as if to Win the Race
Teri Lynne Underwood says
I love spending time studying the Proverbs 31 woman. She is an example of a life well lived for me … a life of beauty & grace.
Deborah Bolton says
What a beautiful devotion/post! I have always kind of thought that the part about Jesus having no form or beauty that we should look at Him was referring to Him being beaten and having the crown of thorns on His head. I guess for some reason I have always thought He would be beautiful to me, because of who He is. However, I know what you say makes perfect sense. Perhaps, that is why He looked like one of us — not the beautiful people, because He wanted us to feel accepted no matter how we look. By the way, I think you are beautiful, even though you may not think so. But I also know what it is to feel not beautiful, even when I looked OK. We humans seem to be afflicted with those silly opinions about ourselves. Recently, I got my hair cut very short, because of my illness. I was too tired to “fix” my hair. I am adjusting, but I do miss my hair, even though I know I probably look better with it short and off my neck right now. My sensitive scalp doesn’t hurt from rubberbands or bobby pins pricking it. And my precious husband Always tells me I’m beautiful, even when I feel frumpy. The best thing though is being beautiful on the inside: that shines through. The light of Jesus in our lives changes everything.
Teri Lynne Underwood says
I imagine there are many ways to interpret that passage but I love the truth that Jesus was like us in every way … even in our plainness.
Thank you so much for your kind words … you, too, are beautiful! Jesus shines bright on you!
Yvonne says
Perhaps I should have read Proverbs 31 before I stopped drinking alcoholic beverages in 2009. God is so great! Deborah Bolton, I do not know you; however, the Light of Jesus shines through your words. Keep writing!
Stacey says
This is so timely. Thank you for the mention, too.
Have I mentioned how proud I am of you? Well, I am.
xoxo
Stacey recently posted…What I Wore
Teri Lynne Underwood says
I am proud of you too, sweet Stacey! You are such an inspiration and encouragement to me!!
angela morrow says
How can I get past the feelings of insecurity about myself. I have a group of five great girlfriends. I am truly blessed to have fine them in my 40’s and we have been sisters since. But I feel in adequate around them. But if you were to ask them about me the last thing they would say is that I am inadequate. Because I am feeling this way I have trouble completing some major projects that are close to my heart. A documentary which I believe God gave me 2 years ago. I start writing then stop. I have pieces of information all over the place. I just can’t seem to move forward. Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you
Kari Scare says
Boy do I get where you’re coming from. Over the years, the only answer I have found is more of Jesus. As I spend more and more time getting to know Him (and this means a lot of one-on-one time with Him), my inadequacies sort of get filled in with His perfectness. The more I realize who I am in Him and who He created me to be and what He created me to do, I am more and more confident. I have found nothing else that works over the long haul.
Kari Scare recently posted…Sunday Reflections – Living a Spectacular Life
Dina K. says
Dear Angela,
Could it be your have a low self-esteem? Self esteem refers to an inner sense of worthiness that gives a person resilience and resistance to discouragement or criticism. If you allows others
to determine your value or significance your self esteem is in trouble instead of letting the One who created you. Society is constantly assessing our value but we should not let that, because there’s that God standard and the world standard. Don’t believe in lies about your significance to God. You are created unique and special God has each person’s life in His hand; He created each person for a purpose. Every believer should stand tall with high self-esteem by understanding who he or she in Christ. Perhaps you need to begin a new thought patterns. You are special . God bless.