Beautiful

So... Last night, a friend and I were hanging out. We were playing on my laptop, in my school's main parking lot. - [Just because. ] I get wi-fi all over campus.- So, during this time, after several sodas at Stake 'n' Shake, we had to pee. It was pretty late... maybe around 9 o' clock, and the campus was still open, due to night classes. We went inside, got to a bathroom... and after a moment of relief, we went to wash our hands, and found a post-it on the mirror. [See picture.] It read, as you can plainly see, "You are loved by many. www.operationbeautiful.com"

-- If you haven't heard of Operation Beautiful, it's a lovely thing where you post random sticky notes in public places, telling the people that they're beautiful and worth it, promoting higher self-esteem. As we all know, our society has a major problem with low self-esteem. Society tends to look down on those of us that are a bit heavier, or aren't perfect in their eyes. The media photoshops and alters things in magazines so much, and so many people seek out surgeries in order to look like 'America's next top model'. Some people say that doesn't have any affect on them, but usually it does effect everyone, in some way. Think about it - if you were told you're beautiful or handsome, wouldn't that boost your day a little? Instead of looking down on yourself?

In fact, the Bible says we're one of a kind. We are God's WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which he prepared in advance for us to do. [Ephesians 2:10] So, like an artist, God created us. We're His masterpiece. He knit us together in our mothers womb. [Psalm 139:13] Just like an Artist, it is an insult to God when we hate how He made us. God doesn't want us to have low self-esteem. However, he doesn't want us to be prideful, either. There's a balance. We have to remember that God created us. We are created in HIS image. [Genesis 1:27] Sin distorted that image, but through Christ, we are restored to what God created us to be - because Jesus takes away the sin that distorts. God wants us to be what he created us to be. He created us to glorify him. We are to take care of His temple, which, is our physical bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

That means, no cutting, no low self-esteem, no eating disorders... none of that- nothing that destroys or harms the body. Don't even think about doing any of those things. We are to 'honor God with [our] body' - not destroy it.

Remember, you are beautiful. God made you that way.