If you have ever been to the mall during Christmas time, you may have seen “Santa” there sitting in a big red chair. Next to him is usually a very tall tree with what appear to be brightly wrapped gift boxes. Children love to reach out for those prettily wrapped ‘presents’ under the tree because they believe that there must be something worth having inside them. How disappointed they are when they find out that they are empty. Still, some children don’t believe that those ‘gifts’ can really have nothing inside. How can a present so perfectly wrapped be empty inside?
It is like that with people as well. As a society we tend to judge others on what they appear to be. (Even though the bible tells us that we shouldn’t do this. Luke 6:37) Still we all desire to be beautiful on the outside thinking that this is all that matters – how can everyone be so wrong? Well, as with packages not all people who are beautiful on the outside are as beautiful on the inside. It is what we are; personalities, morals, beliefs, that we translate from the inside to the outside that make us beautiful. It is true that beauty is an inner attitude and some of the ‘most beautiful’ people in the world will tell you that what they feel makes them beautiful is who they are.
Looks can fade and our outward package definitely changes as we grow older and more mature. What is on the inside, who we are will become more important, not only to others but to ourselves. Having a firm foundation, a belief system that we put into practice by the way we treat others and ourselves is important.
Are you a beautifully wrapped empty package? Or does you beauty shine from the inside out?
Lord,
We thank you for who you created us to be. For allowing us to walk in your light and follow your path. Let you love shine through us, help us to know you more fully. To discover the truth about who we are and how we can know you better. Let those around us see our inner beauty as well as our outer beauty. Help us not to focus on ‘the package’ but what we can do with what we have been given.
Let your light shine through us Lord. We praise you for giving us the opportunity to show your love through us. We thank you for the wonders of your creation and the beauty in the world. Let us focus not on what our flesh looks like, but on what our hearts and minds look like. Reveal to us what you would have us to be.
In Jesus precious name,
Amen.