Ezekiel 16:14

"And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel 16:14

"Beauty, like ice, our footing does betray; Who can tread sure on the smooth, slippery way; Pleased with the surface, we glide swiftly on, And see the dangers that we cannot shun." John Dryden Physical beauty is a national obsession in America. It is a priority in most nations. The elite and popular people are usually those of a beautiful nature. Beauty holds power and popularity nowadays. The corruption of beauty is a slow spreading disease in a person. I know....

My youth was not characterized by a beautiful face or a good body. Time tends to have a way of changing things. I began to work out and train my body. The Marine Corps was kind enough to assist me as well. Sometime, God was nice enough to bless me with an attractive face(by no means beautiful, thats for sure!). Well, the moment comes when awareness of your physical attributes kicks in-that is a dangerous area. I embraced the danger. For at the time, I saw no danger. Pride crept into my heart. It changed my perception of people. You might ask how....

Two classes of people existed: those more attractive than myself and those less attractive. It is how I judged people. A person would out perform me in a task, but at least I looked better than they did. Pride, in my looks, became a crutch or excuse. A crutch tearing down others and lessening their value in my eyes, while "building up my value." Beauty is not an edge or advantage to be plied against one another. It is a blessing of God and a direct reflection of His glory and beauty. The simple beauty, possessed by us, compares little to none with the majesty of the universe.

We are constantly surrounded by an awe-inspiring beauty of creation that makes ours insignificant. The Big Dipper in the early a.m., the majesty of Mt. Fuji stark against a blue sky, the setting over the Mojave Desert-rays of light scintillating across the sand, and the cold snow laid out like a blanket in Anchorage Alaska....I've been blessed to lay eyes on the true simple beauty of God that reflects his creative and beautiful heart. These things shout out the glory of the LORD. "Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and everything that moveth therein." Psalm 69:34 It is their job, and they perform it with a single mind. We do not do the same thing. I did not and do not do the same thing.

Beauty is a gift. It is not meant to be used in a condescending or negative nature. The self will try to use it as a destructive and enslaving force on your soul, my soul, and to anyone's soul! We must keep a humble mindset. Equality is a fact. God sees and loves us all the same no matter the clay shell enshrouding our soul. Here is but one picture of humbleness. "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." Isaiah 53:2 Jesus could have been the most beautiful man in history, but he chose complete humbleness. Keep in mind the actions of the Christ!

kenny