The Dirt is Important

Our Hummingbird Ways?

I love hummingbirds. And here’s an interesting little factoid about them:

“Hummingbirds are continuously hours away from starving to death, and are able to store just enough energy to survive overnight.”

I immediately thought of my anorexic experiences.

I recount my mindset, offered in my book, “Thin Enough: My Spiritual Journey Through the Living Death Of An Eating Disorder.”

“… I knew that what I was doing was wrong, but I still kept going. I had to. Progress—just a few more pounds, then I’ll be done. So I’d continue every morning: six hours of boot camp torture on little or no food or water. I had gotten to the point now where I feared drinking water would make me fat.

Every morning, my heart and pulse would pound and race. I could feel throbbing from veins that were sticking out on the backs of my knees and the crooks of my elbows. Every morning, I would stand up, shaky, dizzy already, only to then have everything go black. And then, I’d wake up, lying on the floor. Passing out was now a regular part of my day.

I was scared now, not only for my health, but scared of the danger of being discovered. What if I did this in front of someone? You see, these daily blackout sessions always happened during my exercise routine at midnight. I started exercising at midnight because I could be alone for my required six-hour exercise punishment...”

I didn’t know it at the time, but I had my own obsessive hummingbird thing going on. It was driven by fear- and it didn’t have to be that way.

Fear had convinced me the absolute worst things in the world that could happen to me were eating and gaining weight. So, the torture game became “don’t eat- go as long, as far as you can without eating- just keep going.”

But, what I didn’t know was that this was not what God wanted for me. He didn’t want to punish me; that was not His Will towards me. This, rather, was, instead:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11

God never created me to be like the every frenetic hummingbird. He wanted me to have a life- and one which wasn’t running desperately on fumes.

“…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”’

John 10:10

The fear I was experiencing, driving me to emaciation, exhaustion and misery was not of God.

 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7

 I didn’t know that at the time.

I didn’t know that fear is a spirit, distorting the truth of things; fear lies to us. It tries to convince us God doesn’t love us, God will fail us and life is a horrible, hopeless thing.

All lies.

God repeatedly tells us NOT to fear…

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Isaiah 41:10

“Fear not: for I am with thee…”

Isaiah 43:5

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Luke 12:32

 “And he saith unto them, ‘Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”

Matthew 8:26

This last scripture struck me especially hard as I looked at the words “there was a great calm.”

Ever see a hummingbird? Not a lot of calm going on there.

And that’s the reality check. For those of us struggling with eating disorders and obsessive/compulsive thoughts and behaviors, are we acting more like a frantic hummingbird or a peaceful child of God? Where are we falling within that spectrum? We are somewhere.

So, wherever we are, how imperfectly we are, let’s first start with Psalm 46:10:

“Be still, and know that I am God…”

From there, let’s live as His Child. Let’s cease from our hummingbird ways.

Copyright © 2019 by Sheryle Cruse

Progression

Ego Versus Soul

I recently came across a little gem about the ego and the soul.

It’s quite profound. It states things like…

“Ego looks outward. Soul looks inward.”

“Ego sees lack. Soul sees abundance.”

 According to one definition of the word, soul is comprised of the mind, the will and the emotions. So, it stands to reason soul would be quite vulnerable to disease. Indeed, there is a battle going on.

And, let’s get real- a large part of that battle involves the toxic pride factor.

“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs 16:18

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

1 John 2:16

And that pride rubs shoulders with rebellious foolishness.

“The fool hath said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

Psalms 14:1

And yes, that goes for even us Christians.

 It’s not about being a good little boy or girl in the pews on Sunday. Instead, it has everything to do with the very real, very rebellious, prideful and diseased thoughts which have ensnared us in affliction. Saying “no” when we should say “yes.”

As is echoed in the “Ego Versus Soul” post…

“Ego rejects God. Soul embraces God.”

Again, profound.

And, while we may nod our heads in agreement with that statement, do we really examine any rebelliousness lurking in our tricky hearts?

After all, we’re not above being deceived…

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Jeremiah 17:9

For, once upon a time, there was a certain rebel who let some audacious, prideful attitudes rip.

“And he said unto them, ‘I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.’”

Luke 10:18

"But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'”

Isaiah 14:13-14

And here were the consequences:

"…you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.”

Isaiah 14:15

“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!”

Isaiah 14:12

“‘Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence,’ saith the LORD.”

Jeremiah 49:16

So, one can argue if we do not embrace God and His perspective, we’re, therefore, embracing this guy’s attitude instead.

 “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

James 3:16

Are you squirming yet?

You may think I’m being over the top here. But is it really such an astounding leap?

After all, Jesus, Himself, said, “You are either for or against me.” (Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23).

Addiction, like it or not, has some rather unflattering roots in pride, envy and self- interest, hence the ego. And, many of us have the wreckage to prove it: hurt loved ones, lost careers, jeopardized health, financial and legal issues. The list goes on.

But the soul…

“In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.”

Job 12:10

 “Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.”

Psalms 62:1

 “For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.”

Psalms 116:8

 “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”

1 Peter 4:19

But there IS, indeed, some good news concerning our souls; God is not us.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

So, because of those different perspectives, our thoughts not necessarily being those of God’s, we need to intentionally approach Him with a different response that the rebellious choices which have landed us where we are.

Enter the favorite recovery word, surrender…and its corresponding steps, such as…

1.      We admitted we were powerless over a substance or behavior - that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

All of that flies in the face of rebellious ego. But man, does it ever harmonize with soul!

One of my favorite quotes is from C. S. Lewis:

“You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.”

Again, returning to our definition of soul, that of our mind, will and emotions, we are, therefore, challenged to utilize those three components toward, not away from, God. No easy feat. Often, it’s not fun. Let’s just get real about it.

Yet, there is a more fulfilling, healthier path is choosing that direction.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

There is a question being asked of us. Our response is needed.

Which one do we choose to pursue, especially concerning our recovery?

 Is it the ego? Or is it the soul?

Copyright © 2019 by Sheryle Cruse

The Stand-Up Game

“The Stand- Up Game” discusses how our codependency can get us involved in unhealthy situations.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2019/08/the-stand-up-game-discusses-how-our-codependency-can-get-us-involved-in-unhealthy-situations/

Don't Compare the Two

Even Mistakes Mean...

What Would Happen?

R U OK?

“I’m so happy you’re not ugly."

Allow me, if you would, to rail on the toxic image pressures of the common fairytale.

I’m not going to draw a connection between the fairytale image and the overwhelming occurrence of eating disorders in females. But maybe I should. Maybe, just maybe, there is a connection there.

I came across a humorous pop culture meme from one of the most famous, “Beauty and the Beast.” It was our beast, transformed into the handsome prince gazing at Belle, our beautiful ingénue, with the caption, “Thank God. I’m so happy you’re not ugly.”

Yes, there was a pointed humor, ringing true. However exaggerated it may be, we do, in fact, often echo this sentiment when it comes to a female’s value. It is implied for most, if not all, “happily ever after” princesses. And it’s specifically tied to her beauty.

In many fairytales, we’re presented with the evil and ugly villains of stepsisters, stepmothers and witches, all contrasting, of course, to that of our beautiful, virtuous “good” heroine princess.

So, good equals beauty princess; bad equals ugly crone? Yikes.

Indeed, when it comes to our measurement of aesthetically pleasing standards, there isn’t a great deal of variety in the princess beauty spectrum. It is largely about the ideal ingénue, preferably blonde and white, with the facial features and bodies of shapely, yet dainty, teenagers.

And yes, perhaps we may have gotten more diversity in recent years: Ariel was a redheaded mermaid, Belle was a brunette, Mulan was Asian, Pocahontas was Native American, Tiana was African- American and Jasmine was Middle Eastern. Disney, for what it’s worth, attempted, however unsuccessfully, to display “authentic” ethnic characteristics. Years ago, I remember a lot of hubbub about Jasmine’s “big nose” and the pronounced cheekbones of Pocahontas. There were arguments as to whether or not their features would be viewed as pleasing enough.

Still, when it comes to each of these princesses, there’s not one without a tiny waist, accentuated curves and- well, let’s just call it out- impressive décolletage. C’mon, really? That’s the deal?

Anyway, these image depictions ask some questions. Was our female character’s incredible beauty brought about by her innate goodness? Was she outwardly beautiful only because her inner beauty, usually pleasing to males somehow, radiated from within, hence, activating those exterior features?

Isn’t that the lie? Inner beauty, translation, inherent value, is only accomplished through the manifestation of a certain look.

It would seem so. After all, we place so much emphasis on the outward appearance, to the exclusion, or secondary importance of “inner beauty” qualities, like kindness, personality, intellect, creativity and a sense of humor.

And so, we’re left believing, following, saying or requiring the following sentiment in life:

“Thank God. I’m so happy you’re not ugly.”

Scripture, however, does not concur with that value system. First, God doesn’t make ugly. Trot over to Genesis for proof:

 ^“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,^[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them…

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”

Genesis 1:26-27; 31

Next, God calls us beautiful, valuable, precious and wonderful…

“Since you were precious in my sight… I have loved you…”

Isaiah 43:4

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

Psalm 139:14

“O my dove…let me see your form…for your form is lovely.”

Song of Solomon 2:14

Yet even with all of that goodness, beauty, value and worth, God still checks our hearts.

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

That’s where the important and identifying things reside- that infamous heart! What would happen if we paid more attention to it?

How beautiful could THAT be?

Disordered image has far more to do with outward appearances. It’s the message we internalize, amplify and accept as all-important Gospel. It’s the price we attach and expect from our young people, mainly, our young females. I see it in the multitudes of little girls who prize pretty over smart, thin over fat, extreme beauty tactic over health. Those imprints can follow a female, lifelong into her adolescence and adulthood. Honestly, how many females in our society are 100% content with their appearance, including their body size?

Exactly.

That’s the problem I have with this fairytale value estimation. It prizes beauty- a narrow definition at that – as prized above all else in a female’s life. It discourages one’s own self-acceptance and discovery. Instead, we’re reduced to this statement…

“Thank God. I’m so happy you’re not ugly.”

No, that’s not a fairytale ending- and yes, it IS quite ugly!

Copyright © 2019 by Sheryle Cruse

Thy Right and Royal Duty?

Okay, I’m attempting to simmer down. I just finished another viewing of the animated Disney classic, “Sleeping Beauty.”

Like a lot females out there, I have a complicated love/hate view of this fairytale princess depiction.

Over the years, I have bought into, absorbed, aspired to be like and have been resentful of this ingénue archetype. I have run the gamut of emotions, largely because of the all-important beauty factor which is mandatory for our young princess heroine.

It was all I could do to get through this latest viewing of the film.

For, right off the bat, we have our staple Disney music, chiming in, emphasizing just how beautiful our “Sleeping Beauty” is...

“One gift, my gift of beauty, gold of sunshine in her hair. Lips that shame the red red rose. She’ll walk with springtime wherever she goes.”

Sure, no problem there. I always walk with springtime wherever I go. Sounds completely realistic.

And, eventually, we’re at a critical moment in the story: our lead character, Aurora, is age sixteen, the magic age of blossomed beauty.

However, unfortunately, central to our fairytale plot, this reality is also entwined with a death curse from our villain, Maleficent.

As Roseanne Roseannadanna famously quipped, “It’s always something.”

Anyway, back to Aurora.

 As she faces her sixteen-year-old self, one of her trusty-dusty protector fairies places a crown on the teen’s head and punctuates the moment with rhyme...

“A crown to wear in grace and beauty/as is thy right and royal duty.”

 (Me, rolling my eyes) Here we go again.

However, before we all lose our crowned heads, let’s get an animated reality check of what young Aurora does after this adornment: she cries.

And, as strange as it may sound, I appreciate that moment and see a profound, truth-telling lesson there. Beauty does not instantly, perfectly and forever make a person happy. It is not the all-encompassing “cure-all.”

“Fearfully and wonderfully made...”

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

Psalm 139:14

I often write about and explore this scripture. It has been instrumental to my own healing of image and disorder issues.

And, at first glance, yes, we can focus on physical appearance.

 Indeed, how many benefits come when a person can accept and embrace his/her face and body, as is?

Yet, in solely focusing on the physicality of that scripture, we do ourselves a disservice. We ignore, downplay or malign any and every other component of who we are.

“Fearfully and wonderfully made,” in short, is not just about appearance.           

So, with that in mind, let’s look at a number of attributes to also acknowledge and honor. Embracing the totality of who we are, body, mind, spirit and soul is healthy.

And isn’t that what recovery is all about?

A Good Sense of Humor:

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."

Proverbs. 15:13

I can already hear the murmuring and giggling. You and I know what this phrase means. It is often code for “ugly.”

We have heard this wording used to describe a person, usually female, who is less-than-aesthetically- pleasing. It can be a desperate selling point when arranging a blind date.

Yet, this good sense of humor thing cannot be underestimated.

“Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.”

Mark Twain

Indeed.

Science has even weighed in on the health benefits of a merry heart.

·         Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.

• Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

“Laughter is the Best Medicine”

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm

Therefore, let’s get to guffawing!

And again, returning to our sweet little Aurora, we really don’t see much wit emanating from her.

While she is, of course, sweet natured (she’s our heroine, after all), if there’s any humor captured within the fairytale, it usually involves those adorable Disney woodland creatures being, well, adorable Disney woodland creatures. And the interplay between those critters and Aurora has more to do with how enchanted they are by her beauty, including her beautiful voice trilling ingénue melodies.

No one was astounded by her clever observations or her sardonic wit.

Nope.

Just a beautiful blonde damsel singing her beautiful blonde head off in the forest.

Moving on, we still have more “Fearfully and wonderfully made” attributes to cover.

Personality:

Once again, this word is also often used to describe “ugly.” It is as if personality and beauty cannot occur simultaneously.

So, with that being said, let’s hold up Aurora and see how she registers. Apart from her sweet nature, does she really have a personality to her?

“Sugar and Spice and everything nice” is a rhyming ideal we often set before the female gender. But is that at the expense of a deeper human being?

Where is personality encouraged in Aurora?

In her exile to the woods, in an attempt to save her life, did she ever question, let alone, challenge, why things were as they were?

Did she find it necessary to expand her world view? Probably not. She simply carried on, singing, interacting with cute animals.

She did, however, mention her displeasure about not being around people, but it didn’t go any further than that. Part of the reason, perhaps, was that she voiced this complaint to woodland creatures. Still, there was no teenage rebellion, no attempt to discover herself. Just sweet disposition Aurora.

Now, I’m not against a sweet disposition; indeed, that is a personality trait. Neither am I encouraging youth rioting. No.

But, in the case of many a fairytale princess, Aurora included, as long as the beauty criteria is met (and it is), that seems to be where the character development stops.

And again, that’s a disservice- to both genders.

For we need to embrace the contradiction, the complexity, the duality of who we are. We need to stop suppressing, denying or judging those realities.

Human beings are multifaceted. We can be sweet...and not so sweet. We can be patient and impetuous. We can be spontaneous and deliberate. We can be thoughtful and silly. We can be so much, co-existing simultaneously.

And, that’s not to be condemned. It’s to be celebrated.

After all, look Who is doing some celebration about imperfect us already?

“The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

If we dare to look at the trait of personality for its potential, we see there is power and benefit. And again, that can transcend beauty.

“When we read about the lives of famous people, we often see how personal values guided them, propelling them to the top of their fields. This is the power of every individual’s personality.”

“Power of Personality,” http://www.personalitydevelopment.org/power-of-personality.html

We’re still not done; we have more “Fearfully and wonderfully made” traits to explore.

Kindness:

This attribute is powerful, possessing tremendous relevance and meaning.

According to The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, some of the benefits include:

§  A rush of euphoria, followed by a longer period of calm, after performing a kind act is often referred to as a “helper’s high”, involving physical sensations and the release of the body’s natural painkillers, the endorphins. This initial rush is then followed by a longer-lasting period of improved emotional wellbeing.

§  Stress-related health problems improve after performing kind acts. Helping reverses feelings of depression, supplies social contact, and decreases feelings of hostility and isolation that can cause stress, overeating, ulcers, etc.

§  A drop in stress may, for some people, decrease the constriction within the lungs that leads to asthma attacks.

§  Regular club attendance, volunteering, entertaining, or faith group attendance is the happiness equivalent of getting a degree or more than doubling your income.

“The Health Benefits of Kindness,” https://caydenskindness.wordpress.com/2013/07/28/the-health-benefits-of-kindness

So, with all of those perks, you would think there would be more emphasis on its importance in our culture.

Yet, from the earliest ages of childhood, we see a quite different reality concerning the kindness issue.

·         160,000 students miss school every day because of intimidation or the fear of an attack.

·         Nearly 10 percent of high school girls say they’ve been in a physical fight within the past 12 months.”

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention Report, 2004

“Chicks and Cliques Confronts Mean Girls,” ABC News

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2674112&page=1

These statistics were given a pop culture name via a 2004 movie which was box office gold, “Mean Girls.”

And, although Aurora was not considered to be a mean girl, we did not, necessarily, see intentional acts of kindness from her.

This is not to “bully” our “Sleeping Beauty.”

Rather, it’s to illustrate how, again, our attention appears to stop at her beauty.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise.

After all...

“‘…the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’”

1 Samuel 16:7

Yeah.

Still, that doesn’t get us off the hook. We are instructed we need to be kind. And the Proverbs 31 Woman template certainly doesn’t provide us any excuse.

“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

Proverbs 31:20

But it’s not just directed at the female gender; kindness is the call to everyone.

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Ephesians 4:32

And, that’s what makes the kindness trait so powerful- and dangerous if it is absent.

Whether it’s females or males, what is the message being taught?

Do we place an enormous amount of pressure on the females to be kind, at all cost, while giving males an excuse to ignore the character trait because, “boys will be boys?”

Do we reinforce how, really, all that matters is the outward appearance?

 Do we model the toxic gender role dance, teaching both sexes to disregard anything which doesn’t appear as an outward manifestation of aesthetically pleasing image and beauty?

Anything short of appreciating, modelling and living the spirit of kindness, again, does us a disservice.

We need to wake up to that truth.

Moving on to our next “Fearfully and wonderfully made” trait, we turn our attention to... Wisdom.

“WISDOM is the principal thing. Therefore get WISDOM...”

Proverbs 4:7

But do we always get it?

Come on, what do you think?

Nevertheless, again, there are benefits concerning ntelligence: and that’s just involves the information factor.

·         The brain is a physical organ, and like other organs or muscles in the body it can be trained to be fitter and more efficient.

·         Your IQ is not just your ability to solve problems – it is a measure of your overall brain fitness and efficiency.

·         Brain plasticity – the ability of brain to reorganize itself by growing new brain cells or connections.

• Energy supply to the brain – particularly when it’s working hard

With a smarter brain, there are all-round cognitive benefits for attentional focus and grit, problem solving efficiency, learning capacity and memory – much like there are all-round physical benefits to being in good shape physically.

“High IQ & Intelligence Benefits,” http://www.highiqpro.com/high-iq-benefits

Indeed, data, facts and figures all scratch the spiritual surface of this life-altering characteristic. For wisdom is the application of vital resources...

“the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.”

And, if we look to Aurora for this trait, we are left wanting.

A large part of that lackluster display of wisdom is her age. She’s all of sixteen years old. Not to pick on teenagers, but there is a wisdom which only comes with age.

Life experience- or the lack thereof- impacts the reality of wisdom.

“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.  Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”

Proverbs 4:6-7

And, as mentioned earlier concerning the personality trait, there did appear to be a lack of complexity to Aurora.

This was even in spite of her traumatic circumstances: death curse wished upon her, uprooted from her parents and exile to the forest to live hidden from view.

That naïve perspective, therefore, did not trigger the much needed discernment required, especially as she wandered into encounters with Maleficent and, of course, that dreaded spinning wheel.

As isolated, young and unquestioning as she was, she did not pause to consider such things as ulterior motives, jealousy and reality of a dangerous world.

Nope.

Perhaps it had to do with, again, those cute woodland critters. I suppose if you’re inundated with enough adorable bluebirds and squirrels, harmonizing with you, telling you how magnificent you are, life might look quite rosy.

And, again, the harmful fairytale message surfaces. It states how being beautiful is, indeed, enough to save you and, of course, make your way in the world. There is no need for knowledge, critical thinking and going beyond surface level images. Just go along your merry little way and be beautiful. It’s nothing to worry your pretty little head about.

Scripture, however, contradicts fairytale. Indeed, there is spiritual importance placed on wisdom.

Again, we return to the Proverbs 31 Woman.

 “She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”
Proverbs 31:26

We just can’t seem to get away from her. Yet, however unfairly, there is the expectation- if not full-on pressure- for the female gender to, in one way or another, “have it all together.” Unrealistic? Yes.

Yet, no matter how we slice it, wisdom is doable. After all, we each have the fruit of the spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

The question we need to answer for ourselves is this: do I cooperate with that fruit?

I know. It’s maddening.

Yet, there IS method to the madness.

I am focusing so much of the inaccurate image message of “Sleeping Beauty” and other like fairytales precisely because the sentiments they espouse have little-to-nothing to do with actual, relevant life. They promise an arrival of a perfect Prince Charming (snicker here) and a “happily ever after” kingdom in which no one ever has a bad day again.

Now, I am a romantic; I “love love.” But come on!

And this leads back to the de-emphasis of what is truly important: those non-superficial character traits. Yes, it is about the inner beauty stuff trumping the outer beauty.

It’s not because beauty is bad. Rather, it’s because the comprehensive, complex person has a better chance to experience the opened door of potential.

“But as it is written, ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’”

1 Corinthians 2:9

What if, all this focus on the external distracts us-and keeps us- from our truly unique untapped potential?

What if we miss out on our purpose by obsessing on some subtle form of fairytale mirror?

Or worse: what if we never see ourselves- and accept ourselves- as the spectacular, breathtaking, awe-inspiring, purpose-filled creation of the Most High?

 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”

Colossians 1:16

That would truly be a shame.

Furthermore, it would be negligence of our true “right and royal duty.”

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Romans 8:17

There is simply too much greatness in us to permit that from happening, save one thing: our will.

What will we do then with that?

Copyright © 2019 by Sheryle Cruse