The afternoon was light, the breeze slight.
The sun danced on the dress, golden sequins sending rays.
Then.
The hill.
A slow incline.
The walk smooth.
Until.
A herd of goats.
Coming your way.
The whispers hard.
The lies, leaking in the ear.
Hear?
Hear?
…
Walking, walking.
…
Wait.
…
There.
“…8”
“No way!”
“6?”
“Pfft… She’s not that hot”
Walk away.
Walk away.
Don’t listen to them today.
Don’t listen to them.
Listen to grace.
Listen to grace.
It’s ok.
Seek my face.
Let my Love leave a trace.
Let my Love redeem this broken place.
Beauty.
Shame.
Seek my face.
Don’t run away.
I do not disgrace.
I do not deface.
…
Listen to grace.
…
Look in the mirror. What do you see.
Lies or identity?
The mirror of this world asks for beauty in the seen.
The mirror of the Word shapes beauty in the unseen.
Which mirror do you see?
Which mirror do you believe?
“… 8”
“Behold, you are beautiful, my love;
behold, you are beautiful;
your eyes are doves.”
– Song of Solomon 1:15
“No way!”
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
And there I will give her her vineyards
and make the Valley of Achor (Valley of Trouble) a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.
And in that day, declares the Lord,
you will call me ‘My Husband’“
– Hosea 2:14-16a
“6?”
“For the Lord comforts Zion;
he comforts all her waste places
and makes her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the Lord;
joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.”
– Isaiah 51:3
“Pfft… She’s not that hot”
“Behold, you are beautiful, my love,
behold, you are beautiful!
Your eyes are doves,
behind your veil”
– Song of Solomon 4:1
…
“Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.”
– Psalm 45:10-11
…
Dear daughters of this world,
The King of the universe knows your heart.
He sees inside your pain.
He sees the wounds.
And do you know what?
He is captivated by your beauty.
He pursues you. He loves you.
His love is enough.
Listen to his grace.
His love has a face.
…
Seek my face.
Let my Love leave a trace.
Let my Love redeem this broken place.
…
Endnote:
This is hard to share. But it had to be shared.
This is for the women who need to stop listening to the worlds definition of beauty.
This is for the women who need to listen to the Words identification of beauty.
This is for the men who need to stop affirming the worlds definition of beauty.
This is for the men who need to start learning the Words identification of beauty.
