One Piece Wisdom
Running five minutes late and barely awake, I always manage to drive over the pretty pink flowers at the end of the driveway. Although I felt kind of bad every time I looked up as I shifted into drive and saw the squished petals, I was in a rush and moved on with my day. My mom, however, I know cringed when she saw these little flowers no longer looking like the flowers she had so lovingly planted. By about the fifth time, she understood two things; A. I could not back out of the driveway and B. Those flowers had little chance of blooming there. Yet, every time she took the time to trim and primp the flowers. And on a regular basis she would clean out the entire planter and replace them with new ones.
A couple months ago the fresh dirt caught my attention. My mom had a trunk full of beautiful blossoms ready to be planted. Despite the fact that normally I hate gardening, my mom's passion, this time I thought it would be fun to help. Together we planned where each flower would go. She gently dug holes, securing each flower in its place with dirt. Finally, we sprinkled the flowers with water and the planter looked like new!
Suddenly, I had a new found respect for this little plot of flowers. Each time I pulled in the driveway I truly admired it and as I back out I slowed down to be sure I would not hit it. It has been a few months and those same flowers that lined the driveway then still line it now. I realized how much work it was to plant them. I appreciated the time and effort it took, and as a result, I changed my habits to help keep the flowers growing.
It is easy to take something for granted if you do not see it's true worth. When you do not realize the time and effort it takes to create something or when do not know where it came from you can easily "run it over" without even blinking an eye. As I laid by the pool this last week and soaked up some sun I quickly realized I was outnumbered by skimpy bikinis. Everywhere I looked there were girls with bodies on a full display for the entire pool to see. And there I was rocking my one piece, which I am only slightly obsessed with, and I was automatically weirded out by the fact that my bathing suit consisted of more fabric than all their bathing suits combined.
It made me sad. They did not see the beauty of themselves. They did not treasure the love that built their bodies. And there they stood neglecting them and using them as some means to get the attention of men. I stood in the pool, feeling beautiful. No, I was not the prettiest girl there. I did not have the best figure or sport the best tan but I truly felt beautiful. Despite everything, as a floated I knew I was beautiful because I knew I was created with love to love and be loved. I felt beautiful because I knew the beauty of the one who created me. And as the rest of the woman at that pool pranced around in their bikinis, I could tell they longed to be beautiful but something in my heart told me they truly did not know how beautiful they were.
Their image was "I am sexy". They had the looks of men and woman alike. Their bikinis and model bods got attention. But the attention that said, "Your body is an object for my pleasure". The kind of attention that said, "I will use you to look at or satisfy some part of me". It is a type of attention that so many girls think is enough. But it is not. It is not what you were created for and it is not who you are. Stop trying to be provocative or edgy. Stop using your body for attention. Stop trying to be sexy and realize you are beautiful.
God created each of us to be beautiful and unique. We are daughters of a King who perfectly placed even the tiniest hairs on our head. He made us in His image and likeness. He created us to be adored and appreciated and loved. Your body is a treasure that will some day become the ultimate means to express your love for another. But we sell out to the attention we get if we flaunt our boobs and butts as we parade around the pool. A girl who knows her worth, earns the respect she deserves. When you start to realize how beautiful you really are, your beauty starts to come through. Suddenly people realize your value, because they recognize you know it as well. Do you want to be loved or used?
What is your body worth? I am certain it is more beautiful than even the tiny pink blossoms that line the driveway. Start treating it like that. Do not throw it around or let it hang out for all the world to see. You are worth so much more than that.
God created you so perfectly. Precious. Unique. Beautiful. Let your beauty shine. Know you are beautiful because the King of Kings created you!
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul know right well.
Psalm 139:14
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