As a child, I had a painful association with the scale. Once
upon a time, I saw it as only a weird square in the bathroom. It didn’t garner
much attention from me; I was more interested in the blue windmill stencil
designs lining the tub and my rubber ducky. It was just a square, taking up
space.
However, suddenly, Mom placed me on this square- and I became
conscious of what I weighed. Apparently, it wasn’t a good digit as, more frequently
I needed to get on this square. Now, suddenly, I had a “weight problem.”
And ever since, I no longer see this particular square as
just a square.
Through my entire childhood and adolescence, this square
dictated my worth, which was never good enough, always too big, always too
heavy.
That drove me to eating disorders, with the hope as I became
more punishing of myself, more “dedicated,” well, then my two-digit weight as a
young adult would mean triumph. It, however, never really did, of course.
Because, I could always lose more weight and somehow, magically, “be better.”
On and on and on I went, into my own scale-obsessed hell...
It’s incredible what we think of this square. It’s
supercharged with value, guilt, fear, loathing and importance. The scale, in so
many bathrooms yells at us to think less of ourselves.
We give it that power.
We don’t have to, however. We could choose to give something
else power in determining our value: God’s Word.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on
these things.”
Philippians 4:8
What if we measured ourselves by the following?
“Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves'
eyes.”
Song of Solomon 1:15
“O my dove…let me see your form…for your form is lovely.”
Song of Solomon 2:14
“Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.”
Song of Solomon 4:7
What if we stepped into these scriptures instead? God created our steps for far better things!
“The steps of a good man are ordered
by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”
Psalms 37:2
Copyright © 2015 by
Sheryle Cruse
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