In Other Words...

I've been meaning to take part in CWO's "In Other Words" but I keep forgetting about it. I read one blogger's on the following quote, and it reminded me that I wanted to take part in IOW as well. I'm not even entirely sure that what I've said makes sense, or fits in with the quote, but here goes:

"We are urgent about the body; He is about the soul. We call for present comforts; He considers our everlasting rest. And therefore when He sends not the very things we ask, He hears us by sending greater than we can ask or think."~ Richard Cecil ~

So often we are concerned, as a society, with having the perfect body. But really, when you stop to think about it, the perfect body doesn't exist. If we had the perfect body, we wouldn't be concerned with losing "just 5 more" pounds; we wouldn't be concerned with having grey hair and needing to dye it; we wouldn't be concerned about our blemishes, the big feet, the small breasts, that bit (or lot) of cellulite that shows up on our thighs or our butts. If the perfect body image existed, there would be no need for airbrushing to be done on magazine photos.

Media has played into our fears of becoming old and/or ugly, and we devour it like that last piece of birthday cake. "Have the hair colour you've always wanted!", "Lose 10 pounds overnight!", "Get the man of your dreams by following our advice!"...the list goes on and on and on and on and...well, you get the picture. We will spend money on the latest issue of a woman's magazine that gives step by step advice on how to "improve" your body and your self-image, how to become "perfect". When we see the models and actresses who are rail thin and wear size zero clothes we think that is the image we need to be, that that is the image men desire.

Granted, it is one thing to desire to lose weight through diet and exercise in order to become healthy, but it is an entirely different ball game when it is done simply to look like the latest fashion model who, if she turns sideways, would probably disappear. I'm not trying to knock these women; but when the women who do not look like those on magazine covers are told they aren't "good enough, thin enough or pretty enough" (or made to feel this way) because they might be a little overweight or too short or too plain, then something is wrong.

God gave us each a temple to take care of - our bodies. By all means, lose the weight, start exercising, eat healthier - but do it for your health; do it for the right reasons. Don't deny yourself food - don't overboard and end up dangerously thin in order to fit society's standards. No, we are not of the world and we are not to live as the world lives.

Find it hard to lose weight? Is it difficult not to compare your looks with others? Feel like you just can't do it, you just can't take care of yourself? Does it seem impossible not to give into society's standards? There is One who can help you through it all, no matter what trouble you face. There is One who loves you so much and desires for you to be healthy, who loves you and your imperfect body - God.

God understands our desire to fit in, our desire to look good. But in the larger scheme of things, this really is not important. He has far better for us than a life of striving for perfection according to the world's standards. I think that He wants us to be healthy, but I also think He wants us to be satisfied with what we look like - I mean, afterall, He is the one who created us. Granted He didn't create us to be overweight (I fit this category myself) or under weight, because neither is healthy. I think if we focus on Jesus, and ask for His help in our struggles to become healthier, He will help us. I also believe that we need to be doing this for the right reasons - for health benefits, to please the Lord and NOT to please the world and those who think that size zero is perfection.

So do what you can (with God's help) to take care of the body He gave you; afterall, it's the only one you've got - at least here on earth.