Week 4: Body Image, Self Esteem, and Beauty
Trigger Warning: If this triggers anything that is harmful to you, please pm one of us. Remember that you are beautiful, no matter how you look.
Girls, I understand this may be a sensitive topic to some people. Please remember to be kind to others, and to not judge. Thank you.
(A/N For Jamie: Published early in case I am eating dinner at the time this starts. If I am not here, carry on.)
Have you ever tried to impress someone? Ever spent time worrying how you look? Today's topic will be on body image, self esteem, and beauty.
Have you ever had negative thoughts about how you look like the women in the video? If so, it's okay. Most girls go through this. Did you hear some of the thoughts they had about themselves? It didn't sound bad when they said it to themselves. But when two actresses has to say it to each other, it sounded horrible! The actress that had to say that stuff was appalled! We may say stuff to ourselves and not even realize how it might sound coming out of another person's mouth. The kind of stuff that was said in the video: "just fat and ordinary", "your face looks like a bulldog's", "your smile looks like a mouse", "thick thighs", "horse lips," etc. was strong enough to rip someone's self esteem down. The women who said that stuff to themselves intervened when it was said to other people. One woman got so mad when she confronted the actresses and she even admitted that she said that stuff to herself, and she now knew how violent it was!
Romans 12:2 says "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern (to perceive or recognize) what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." I think this means that we shouldn't think "perfect" as what society claims it to be, but what God sees as perfect. What is God's definition of perfect? Matthew 5:48 says: "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
We are all perfect, no matter how we look. The definition of perfect that I would like to use is free from any flaw or defect in condition or quality; faultless. We are faultless in God. Phil. 2:15. says, "that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world".
Self esteem has a lot to do with our body image. But what is self esteem exactly? People define self esteem as how we see ourselves, but what does it mean exactly? Self esteem is actually confidence in one's own worth or abilities; self respect. There are basically 3 types of self esteem: high self esteem, low self esteem, and something in between the two. High self esteem means you are very confident with how you look, how you do stuff, etc. Low self esteem means you aren't confident with how you look, how you do stuff, etc. And if you're somewhere in between, it means you are confident at times, and then not.
1 Samuel 16:7 says, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'" This means that God doesn't see you the way other people see you, He sees you by your heart, not by how you look.
Guess what girls? I have a song for you!
Think about the lyrics to this song.
In the first verse, it talks about how she talks to herself and how she isn't comfortable with who she is. "Get it together, that's what I say to me. I put on the pressure, you could do better, be who you're supposed to be."
Then she talks about how God came into her life and told her she didn't need to believe that stuff. "But that's when You came in, right when I needed You. Said all of the things that I was believing, not one of them were true."
Then she's talking about her self esteem, and how she's changed because of His love. (That's how I took it anyways). "You're lifting my head up, I was keeping my head down. I didn't know love, but I do now."
Then she talks about how God came into her life and changed her. She didn't worry about anything that was bothering her anymore. "Cause you stood right there, and then you broke apart the lies. You told me I had something beautiful inside. You brought to life the part of me I thought had died. Cause you stood right there until I saw me, I saw me through your eyes."
Then she talks about how she enjoys living worry free and not caring what people think of her. "So this is living, this is free. Not keeping score, not anymore. Not since you rescued me."
Then it's a repeat of the pre chorus and chorus. But then it talks about how she's in awe of Him and His love. "You love me even when I fall apart. I can't explain it, that's just who You are. Don't want perfection, You just want my heart."
God doesn't want us to be perfect on the outside. If He wanted us to be perfect based on our looks, He would have made us all the same. He doesn't care how we look, it's what's inside that counts.
That leads on to our next subject: Inner and Outer Beauty.
There was this one video I watched, and I can't find it now, but there was this teenage girl, and she made a video to face bullies. She wrote a few words that people have said to her on her chest and stomach, and they weren't nice. Then, she washed it all off. She then wrote empowering words on herself. Then the video cuts to her filling a bath, and she has a few bottles labeled love and compassion and support, etc. and got in it. It's all over the Internet but I have no clue as how to find it. If you know what it is please tell me so I can add it!
True beauty doesn't come on the outside. It's not going to do you any good if you look like the models on magazines, unless you want a modeling career. And even then, you don't have to look like the skinny models on the magazines to be a model! What matters is on the inside. Think back on Romans 12:2. It says "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern (to perceive or recognize) what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." God sees us as perfect on the inside. In my opinion, He doesn't mind what we look like on the outside. It's good to know that we don't have to change our appearance for anyone, because we are already loved by God.
Now.... You know them, you love them, give it up for The Questions! You can send your replies to the comment section!
1) Have you ever had negative thoughts about yourself? You don't have to answer if you don't want to.
2) Has this lesson benefited you in any way?
3) Did you enjoy the videos?
4) Anything that we could add/take away/change?
5) Did you like the song?
6) Do you know someone who has a low self esteem? Do you think this could help them?
7) Which is better in your opinion: Inner Beauty or Outer Beauty?
8) Any other questions?
Before we go, I have something to say. I have seen less and less of y'all during the lessons. I'm sad to say that there were only THREE people who commented last week. THREE. If you don't think you are going to be there on Mondays, please at least check it out sometime during the week! Please try to see the weeks lesson! It inspires me to write better lessons! If you do see the lessons, please comment and at least answer some of the questions or even say you read it so we know you're here! We'd appreciate it very much! With that said, we hope you've enjoyed this lesson, and we'll see you next week!
Tagging The People Who Signed Up Below:
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