I was rummaging through an old file and came across this note. Sure made me chuckle….

“Age 3: Looks at herself and sees a Queen!

Age 8: Looks at herself and sees herself as Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty.

Age 15: Looks at herself and sees herself as Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty or a cheerleader; if it is not the right time of the month, she sees ‘Fat, Pimples and Ugly.’
She screams, ‘Mom, I can’t go to school looking like this.’

Age 20: Looks at herself and sees ‘too fat, too thin, too short, too tall, too straight, too curly’ but decides to go anyway.

Age 30: Looks at herself and sees ‘too fat, too thin, too short, too tall, too short, too straight, too curly,’ but decides she doesn’t have time to fix it so she is going anyway.

Age 40: Looks at herself and sees ‘too fat, too thin, too short, too tall, too straight, too curly’ but says, ‘At least I am clean’ and goes anyway.

Age 50: Looks at herself and sees ‘I am’ and goes wherever she wants to go.

Age 60: Looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who can’t even see themselves in the mirror anymore. Goes out and conquers the world.

Age 70: Looks at herself and sees wisdom, laughter, and ability and goes out and enjoys life.

Age 80: Doesn’t bother to look. Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world.”

Not sure who the author was, but he or she had some real insight into how our self-esteem builds and crumbles throughout lives. If external things like what we observe in the mirror are the only factors affecting how we “see” ourselves, we are all in big trouble.

This week might be a wonderful time to be reminded of the instruction the Lord gave Samuel as he was tasked with identifying the new king of Israel. As he examined each of
David’s brothers, Samuel was told: “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I 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.” (I Samuel 16:7)

Lets make sure we are all scrutinizing others and ourselves according to the heart, not an outward appearance.

By His Grace and for His Glory,
Sherry L. Worel