It's incredible.............., at least, -very prominently in South Africa, (or even the rest of supposedly remains of the once mighty British Empire,) how much value people place on 'external' beauty, either wrapped as 'physical &/or material & social-status' assets & attributes.
It has become the 'social norm' & de facto standard for acceptance & approval....by both friend & foe.
How saddening, short-sighted, shallow & egotistical can individuals of a 1st world civilization become all wrapped-up in their own sickening pride & envy...? !
....But, -as we all know, outward beauty of the asset-base you have accumulated, has little to do with the character of the person or whether they are 'real' or not.
A young female soldier once wrote home to her parents about a young man she was attracted to: "Of course," she said, "since we are not allowed to wear makeup, he has no idea how I really look."
"...... Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight....." 1Pet.3:3~4
In the 'long-forgotten' wonderful children's story, called something like the "The 'Velvet' Rabbit," the Rabbit asked the old Skin Horse the baffling question:
"What is really real?"
( To the stuffed rabbit, according to the boasting of the other toys, 'being real' had something to do with 'being impressive and captivating....')
But then the wise Skin Horse answered........,
"Real isn't how you are made.
It's a thing that happens to you....
When a child that plays with you regularly, -loves you for a long, long time, (not just playing with), but REALLY-really loves you, ONLY then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, (for he was always truthful....)
"When you are Real, you don't mind being hurt..........."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse.
"You become.........
It takes a long time.........
That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.
Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and might have become very shabby...
But,......... these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't 'Understand'......"
May the Lord Jesus Christ, -through His unmeasurable Grace, help me; help you, to become truthfully Real and Beautiful on the inside, (whilst reflecting the Spirit & the Image of Jesus to others,) 'knowing-in our knower' that these are of 'Great Worth' to Him...!
May you have Mercy on my 'sometimes' shabbiness that are due to 'wear & tear' ........
Shalom
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