Bentleys, botox, and bikinis are all but facades mimicking true beauty on the basis of the superficial and the least important aspects of what it means to be a woman. These flashy and yet fleeting things conceal the invaluable treasure of the woman who stands behind them. The true riches of a woman are those that cannot be seen by mere glance but must be discovered through great intimacy of the mind, heart, and if one is lucky, to see a glimpse of the soul.
In a world that searches no further than what the eye can see, the woman is conditioned to glean for the shallow gaze of the unruly man. The unruly man will do only enough to inspect the surface but has no care or desire to know a woman deeper or or hold her tight. The unruly man who has never experienced true intimacy does not know that the real sweetness lays beyond what his hands can grasp. This intimacy I speak is the very palace that is the woman's heart. This palace, his body can't break into, nor can his hands take hold; rather, if he only be patient, steadfast, and faithful he would discover something that lasts much longer and penetrates far deeper than the fleeting sensual pleasures he always seeks. If he was not a slave to his carnal desires he would be held by the woman who's very heart was fashioned to care for his greater needs than the animalistic ones he proclaims he needs more than all else. The unruly man begins and ends at the surface, the poor fool not realizing there is much more to be discovered and uncovered in her. The unruly man minimizes woman to a mere lump of flesh created to satisfy his physical desires; the poor fool is playing with mud when there is a irreplaceable treasure to be safeguarded. For if he would only pick up his eyes from the mud he is playing with he would discover that her heart is far wider and vaster than all the seven seas and that it is full of mystery to be discovered. The woman is many things, but one dimensional is not one of them, though too often even the woman doesn't realize this to be true.
This is not written to attack the poor, unruly, and foolish men, but it is also for the woman that are hidden behind the bentleys, botox, and bikinis, for she too doesn't realize the great treasure she is. For if she knew how invaluable she was, she would have no need for the bentleys, botox, or bikinis, for she would have no need to prove her worth to the world. Though the bentleys, botox, and bikinis may deceive man temporarily, the heart is not deceptive. For a time you can flatter but whatever lies in the depths of the heart your tongue will reveal.
"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" -Luke 6:45
There will come a time when the fire comes and will burn away all the facades that we put up and the world will truly see what is left over. When the fires burn our masquerades we will see what is behind the bentleys, botox, and bikinis. When uncovered we discover the rawness and the true condition of the human heart. When the heart lays bear, what is it that we find? Do we find the heart like a beautifully adorned castle where the rooms have been dusted and the hedges are all trimmed? Or do we find a rugged shack that is rat infested and abandoned?
The woman longs to care for the inner workings of her heart but she is conflicted. The world does not care about the interior, but it cares only for making the exterior appear like it is in order. For the world will not applaud lest she is driving nice cars, the world will not care unless her face remains wrinkle free, and the world will not even dare to look lest she have toned body like that of a super model. It is a pity that these are the things that the unruly man awards. Yet, I wager it is even poorer that the women are willing submit to the superficial and fleeting things as opposed to long lasting and an eternal love. The unruly man fills the world with whispers:
"who would love someone without a lot of money or a stellar career? Who would care for your natural face? Men only like you when cover your face with foundation. Its the self-conscience girls that are insecure that don't show off their bodies, besides no one wants a prude. Cover your face, but be sure to expose your body for by this you will attract the male gaze."
But when the woman follows these precepts and finds nothing but heartache, objectification, insecurity, and men who do not will her ultimate good.
The good man leads the woman to the tallest mountain peaks. The good man walks with her, covers her exposed body, wipes away the makeup and the facades. The good man sees the woman for who she is and does not care for all of the superficial coverings, rather he wants to see the depths of her heart. The good man is patient, steadfast, faithful, and does not leave her sight at the sight of another. For the good man has seen the precious stones and invaluable treasure that she carries within her heart. The good man amends his life to watch over the hidden treasures he has found. The good man's heart is filled that he has discovered the beauty within her something far more precious than any jewel. The good man picks a bouquet of wild flowers and fashions them into a crown, before placing it upon the woman's head. The good man and the woman sit in the tall dry grass and gaze upon a herd of horses. The horses pranced in the field before their eyes. And the good man and the woman dance in the tall grass as the cool breeze blows. The good man whispers:
"we are surrounded by an abundance of goodness and you are the one that crowns it all. I have searched your heart, I know what weighs it down, I know the things that you carry within, and I have seen the things that keep you awake at night and I love all of you. You dont have to be someone you're not for me, for I desire you as you are and I give myself wholly to you. As the horses freely prance in the field so too I desire for you to dance freely among the peaks of the mountains."
The good man is Christ. The good man is the one who we are fully known by. Christ is the one who gives us the freedom to BE, to be as he has created us to be. Christ is the one who is always patient with us and always faithful even when we are unfaithful. Christ invites us to come as we are. No matter the condition of our heart, whether it is in shambles or not, He is the one who makes all things new. He is the potter who restores the broken pot to be beautiful again. When the unruly man has disrupted the painting the author of art comes in, restores, and redeems it to something that is far more beautiful than what it was to begin with. For the cracks in the clay give it character and a story. The cracks show where you were but the wholeness reveals what God can do. The unruly man preys off of your insecurity but the good man desires your healing.
Beautiful woman,
you don't need to hide behind the bentleys, botox, and bikinis. For you have been deemed more precious than rubies by the King of kings and the Lord of lords. You have been deemed beautiful even with all exterior things stripped away. The world may not applaud you for the beauty of your heart but the Lord who formed you in your mothers womb is always rooting you on from His Heavenly throne and the saints are rooting you on for they too know what it is like to be despised by the world. My friend, you have been set free to dance among the peaks of mountains with the King, Will you let Him lead you there?
Written by Madison Roufs
Scripture Study: Proverbs 3:15-18
As we ready this short story and scripture what stood out to you? Why?
What did this story and scripture reveal about who God is?
What did this story and scripture reveal about what is in your own heart?
How is the Lord inviting you to renewal?
How can we participate in this love that the Lord has offered us?
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