The Teardown Trend.
ROMANS 12:9-13
"L e t l o v e b e g e n u i n e. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. O u t d o one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be f e r v e n t i n s p i r i t, s e r v e t h e L O R D. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be c o n s t a n t i n p r a y e r. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
I hear a lot (too much) about how we, as women, can actually be so incredible destructive of ourselves. We sometimes oppress each other and ourselves just as much as anyone on the outside does. Our insecurities can be such an idol - something we use to draw attention to self. Why else would we hold on to them, waiting for a reason to let them affect us and others?
The Teardown Trend
When did it become so popular, so norm to rag on yourself? It's as if we have a one-downer type mindset. We get respect "points" for saying how we are failures, and we tend to think that if we give someone a backwards compliment like "Stop being so pretty," we will feel better. All I can say is yuck. Yuck to that false humility of acting like we are worthless in an effort to be valued. That's so oxymoronic! And it doesn't work. Yuck to having to put others strengths down as if they are weaknesses, instead of celebrating each other and what God has created. Yuck to the fact that its really hard to be respected if you walk in confidence of those strengths. Can you relate? What can we actively do to get over this contagious trend?
What would it take to walk confidently in who we were created to be with the true humility of not taking credit? I think that would make us much more like-able, much more real, and just much more. Denying we have strengths is absurd, and accepting and celebrating our strengths is not the same as being arrogant about them. But, how can we do that well?
God created us in His image, and I believe a deep-rooted, true belief in this will be a great foundation. Here are some points that have been on my mind that I think can help break the trend:
God created man and WOMAN in his own image uniquely. It's important to note this not to prove women to be equal to men, but in order to realize that our value as women and men at its root is God. His characteristics breathed into us in a unique way. These characteristics are something to be celebrated and honored, not because of our doing but, of course...because GOD inspired them.
GOD created us in His image. Two important things to remember: 1) I did not create myself in God's image. God did. Therefore, 2) I cannot take credit. God takes full credit. Furthermore, I can boast about my "image" or characteristics in a non-arrogant way by pointing to the inventor of ALL of it! No use trying to be falsely humble. You do not need to be. Your beauty was not your doing.
God created us in His image on PURPOSE. We know that anything God does has meaning, logic behind it. So anything God breathes himself into has a very intensely purposeful meaning. To walk in this and attempt to do justice to what God has created means we must walk with purpose and meaning and confidence that we have been set apart by His image, that we are to reflect it and carry it. Knowing this deeply will make you walk in joy and purpose. You can rest in the fact that you hold value, and you will be evermore impassioned to be purposeful with it.
God created us in His image FOR HIM. This seems like it should be obvious, but our actions show otherwise many times. Being created in His image does not give us reason to brag about our triumph in ourselves. Even further, the number 1 purpose, you may be surprised to hear, did NOT even have to do with other people at all! Yes, it provides opportunities to show others who our Life-Giver is and how good He is to us...BUT, it has always been for God...period. He wants to intentionally BE and CONNECT with you. We were never meant to walk in his image without him - he wants the intimacy of us being in CONSTANT communion with him. While we do this with Him, the secondary impact is showing others who He is in us.
HEBREWS 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight [insecurity], and sin which clings so closely [tearing down], and let us R U N with endurance the race that is set before us, l o o k i n g t o J e s u s, the founder [or author] and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Although I love to write and discuss these types of topics, I am not The Author of all Life, and the Lord has so much more for you than I could ever express or hope to attempt to write about. My thoughts are inspired by my relationship with the Lord. With that being said, I would like to point you to READ the Word of God and allow it to transform your heart, PRAY fervently to the Lord about all things, and BE present with Him. I pray this was encouraging, challenging, or affirming for you and that God uses it for your good.
You are so dearly loved.
-Joelle Elise-
"L e t l o v e b e g e n u i n e. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. O u t d o one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be f e r v e n t i n s p i r i t, s e r v e t h e L O R D. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be c o n s t a n t i n p r a y e r. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
I hear a lot (too much) about how we, as women, can actually be so incredible destructive of ourselves. We sometimes oppress each other and ourselves just as much as anyone on the outside does. Our insecurities can be such an idol - something we use to draw attention to self. Why else would we hold on to them, waiting for a reason to let them affect us and others?
The Teardown Trend
When did it become so popular, so norm to rag on yourself? It's as if we have a one-downer type mindset. We get respect "points" for saying how we are failures, and we tend to think that if we give someone a backwards compliment like "Stop being so pretty," we will feel better. All I can say is yuck. Yuck to that false humility of acting like we are worthless in an effort to be valued. That's so oxymoronic! And it doesn't work. Yuck to having to put others strengths down as if they are weaknesses, instead of celebrating each other and what God has created. Yuck to the fact that its really hard to be respected if you walk in confidence of those strengths. Can you relate? What can we actively do to get over this contagious trend?
What would it take to walk confidently in who we were created to be with the true humility of not taking credit? I think that would make us much more like-able, much more real, and just much more. Denying we have strengths is absurd, and accepting and celebrating our strengths is not the same as being arrogant about them. But, how can we do that well?
God created us in His image, and I believe a deep-rooted, true belief in this will be a great foundation. Here are some points that have been on my mind that I think can help break the trend:
God created man and WOMAN in his own image uniquely. It's important to note this not to prove women to be equal to men, but in order to realize that our value as women and men at its root is God. His characteristics breathed into us in a unique way. These characteristics are something to be celebrated and honored, not because of our doing but, of course...because GOD inspired them.GOD created us in His image. Two important things to remember: 1) I did not create myself in God's image. God did. Therefore, 2) I cannot take credit. God takes full credit. Furthermore, I can boast about my "image" or characteristics in a non-arrogant way by pointing to the inventor of ALL of it! No use trying to be falsely humble. You do not need to be. Your beauty was not your doing.
God created us in His image on PURPOSE. We know that anything God does has meaning, logic behind it. So anything God breathes himself into has a very intensely purposeful meaning. To walk in this and attempt to do justice to what God has created means we must walk with purpose and meaning and confidence that we have been set apart by His image, that we are to reflect it and carry it. Knowing this deeply will make you walk in joy and purpose. You can rest in the fact that you hold value, and you will be evermore impassioned to be purposeful with it.
God created us in His image FOR HIM. This seems like it should be obvious, but our actions show otherwise many times. Being created in His image does not give us reason to brag about our triumph in ourselves. Even further, the number 1 purpose, you may be surprised to hear, did NOT even have to do with other people at all! Yes, it provides opportunities to show others who our Life-Giver is and how good He is to us...BUT, it has always been for God...period. He wants to intentionally BE and CONNECT with you. We were never meant to walk in his image without him - he wants the intimacy of us being in CONSTANT communion with him. While we do this with Him, the secondary impact is showing others who He is in us.
HEBREWS 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight [insecurity], and sin which clings so closely [tearing down], and let us R U N with endurance the race that is set before us, l o o k i n g t o J e s u s, the founder [or author] and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Although I love to write and discuss these types of topics, I am not The Author of all Life, and the Lord has so much more for you than I could ever express or hope to attempt to write about. My thoughts are inspired by my relationship with the Lord. With that being said, I would like to point you to READ the Word of God and allow it to transform your heart, PRAY fervently to the Lord about all things, and BE present with Him. I pray this was encouraging, challenging, or affirming for you and that God uses it for your good.
You are so dearly loved.
-Joelle Elise-
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