Girl, get that hand off your hip....

Do you remember the days before everyone had a camera on their phone?  When you took a photo and all you could do was hope because it would be a week or so before you got the film developed.  It was a time of unflattering angles, glowing red eyes and mid-sentence facial expressions.  It was not always pretty, but it was comfortingly human I think.

Nowadays everyone looks like a print ad for Abercrombie & Fitch all the time.  We've mastered the angles, the lighting.  We don't even need someone to take the shot for us.  Did you know that the average person will take around 25,000 selfies in their lifetime?  And don't even get me started on the hands on the hips.  You know what I'm talking about....the one where a bunch of women get together to line up for a picture and the people on the ends do that funny lean out thing with one hand on their hip.  Who stands like that?  Seriously, 1993 called and would like it's yearbook pose back....

Now I don't mean to pick on anyone.  The truth is I HATE unflattering pictures of myself.  When I see one something inside of me panics, as if that millisecond of time caught on camera is what I look like all the time.  I am the vainest of the vain when it comes to photos and (ironically) it's not pretty. 

But as much as we obsess about it, the Bible shares shockingly little concern for our outward appearance.  In fact, it's quite the opposite.  In the book of 1 Samuel, God has sent Samuel to anoint a new king over His people.  "I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem.  I have chosen one of his sons to be king" (16:1).  Jesse and his sons appear before Samuel.  These are young men of great stature, confident and chiseled, I imagine.  (They'd be great in an Abercrombie & Fitch ad.)  Surely one of these will do, Samuel thinks to himself.  But the Lord says to Samuel....

Do not consider his appearance or his height, for have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  16:7

The rest of the story is that it's David Samuel has been sent to anoint, the youngest, smallest and slightest brother.  David who slays the giant no one else can take down.  David who will become king and make probably as many mistakes as he will victories.  David who is--above all else--God's.

Psalm 33:15 reminds us that He has formed the hearts of all.  Did He form the rest of you, too?  Oh, you bet.  That nose you think is crooked, torso you think is short and hips you think are wide.  God has created that, too, and calls it--get this--GOOD.  Do you know why?  Because all of that is simply a vessel to that which He has formed, filled and tucked away inside of you.  Your heart.  Your heart which is--above all else--God's.  

Will you challenge yourself to rest in that truth today?  Will you challenge yourself to scrutinize your image not on what the outside says about you, but what the inside says?  Will you drop that hand off your hip and be confident that He who has started a good work in you has much more in store for you than a winning Instagram photo?

You have been looked upon today, friends.  And you look GOOD.

XOXO....Kelly