My husband and I just spent a wonderful week in Florida visiting our middle son and his family. Since they live ten hours away, visits with them are extra special, so you can imagine how much we enjoyed the time with them and our seven-year-old grandson, Jack.
While we were there, I do believe that Jack might have come up with the best excuse yet for why he wasn’t able to go to sleep one night. He told his momma that he couldn’t go to bed because he didn’t have one of those special pillows (he named the brand) that they advertise on TV all the time, and that his pillow didn’t line up his head, neck and spine correctly.
When he discovered that I had one of those pillows and that I’d brought it with me, Jack had to try it out. He announced that it was perfect and told his momma that he thought he’d be able to sleep longer if he had one. And then he settled on the couch with it while he read his library book.
As I watched my sweet golden-haired boy sprawled so comfortably on my pillow (with his head, neck, and spine properly aligned of course) I realized what an important reminder it was that children are influenced greatly by what they see and hear. And then I heard God’s whisper to my soul, “Children aren’t the only ones, Michelle.”
Ouch. He’d gotten personal with me again.
Yes, I’ve been guilty of listening to negative voices saying, “You can’t do it!” Or “You aren’t worthy enough.” And yet I’m worthy—not because of who I am, but because of Whose I am. And with Him by my side, I can do whatever He calls me to do, because He has never discovered a problem He couldn’t fix.
I’ve looked at magazines, movies and television and received the message, “You aren’t beautiful or thin enough.” Oh yes, I’ve listened to those negative voices time and time again (and I suspect a see a lot of heads nodding with me).
But then God showed me that I didn’t need outward beauty to do what He’s called me to do. That with time spent in prayer and in His Word, I could polish and groom my soul until I could someday become a beautiful reflection of Him.
I hope that’s the message that I leave folks with—that even if you’re not beautiful, thin or confident (or if your head, neck, and spine aren’t lined up correctly because of your pillow), God can still use your life in amazing ways, because that’s what He’s done with mine.
