Tammy On Tuesday – The REAL Me

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1 Samuel 16:7 – “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

While getting ready for church this past Sunday morning, I was struggling with a new hairdo I found on a youtube video.  The girl made it look so easy.  In fact, she said it was “an easy way to an elegant look” – WRONG.  After fooling with it for a while I finally began to get frustrated and annoyed.  My fingers were cramping up and I huffed under my breath, “Easy, Huh? Quick, huh?”  That’s when I felt God prompting me, “You know, I’m not as interested in your hair this morning as I am your heart.  Is it worth ruining your day?”  As I continued getting ready I thought of the importance our culture places on women to look just right and the great emphasis placed on externals.  This is nothing new.

The fact is, this is not the real me.  I like to do my best to look nice.  I like Sephora.  I like lip gloss. I love trying different eye shadows, hairstyles and all the rest.  But this is just a shell.

PINIMAGEIn today’s blog, I thought I’d do something a little different. I want to take you backward through my morning routine and get to the me underneath it all.  Those with squeamish stomachs, look away!  It’s not easy to show others what’s under all the makeup but today I want to make a point that there’s so much more to a person than outward appearance!  And I am gonna be honest.  I don’t want to spend all my time prettying up the outside while neglecting whats in my heart.

1 Peter 3:3-4 says,
3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

And in Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary of the Bible he writes, “(wise women) don’t lavish their time and money upon trifles. The apostle directs Christian females to put on something not corruptible, that beautifies the soul, even the graces of God’s Holy Spirit

God’s been reminding me the importance of beautifying my heart through several recent situations. They offered great illustrations for the lesson He’s been teaching me all along.

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I was sitting in a local restaurant with my husband, Mark, recently when three ladies came in.  Two of them looked to be in their sixties and by the likenesses in their faces, I could tell they were sisters.  The other lady also bore likeness to them and she looked to be in her 80s.  They were dressed very nice and had their makeup and hair done.  It must have been a mother/daughter lunch.  However, it would not have been out of the question that all three might have been grandmothers.  The word that came to mind as I admired them was “exquisite”.  I thought, “How nice of these sisters to take their mother to lunch.”

They took the booth directly across the aisle from Mark and I and I couldn’t help but look over several times wondering what their story might be.  Did they have families?  Do they get together like this often?  Why were they dressed so sharp?  Were they wealthy?  I was intrigued.  As several moments passed, Mark and I had gotten lost in conversation.  The women seemed to be talking casually, sharing nothing of great importance when I heard one of the ladies say,  “Yeah, I was really pissed off.”  I looked over to find a look of disgust on her face while the other women sat unfazed.

What?!?!  The word seemed to contradict everything about her.  I honestly was taken aback.  No, it’s not a cardinal sin but, in all honesty, the ugliness of the word created a hard contrast to the beauty she exhibited otherwise. Now, please hear me, I don’t want to debate with you whether saying this word is right or wrong, sinful or godly…I just know it took me by surprise. I don’t pretend to know what might be going on in the heart of this woman.  I could’ve caught her on a bad day.  Honestly, my thoughts turned to myself and all the things I’ve said either in carelessness or in my mind where no one else can hear.  I want God to help me to be a woman who chooses her words carefully and wisely.

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Proverbs 31:26, “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.”   

Something else that recently got my wheels turning on this topic was the awards show that aired not long ago and the infamous “Red Carpet”.  Many people tune in to these types of shows simply to see what the stars are wearing.  I too find the fashion interesting and love to see the pretty gowns.  However, in the days that follow, critics usually go on a rampage dissecting the “hit or miss” outfit choices the stars made for the special event.  Imagine being under such scrutiny.  The funniest part about it is that much of the time, the entertainment magazines and websites contradict each other – one magazine calling it a “fashion disaster” and another “fashion genius”.  If it matters at all to those women on the carpet, it must create quite a roller coaster of emotions for them to read the critiques.

PINIMAGEI recall a time I was standing in a grocery check out line and saw a magazine cover that shamed a popular actress for being dressed to the nines for one of these popular events and not having her nails properly manicured.  I thought…”Yet another reason I’m glad I’m not famous!”  One look at my nails and I’d be dragged of the red carpet and sent home.

A familiar passage that speaks of true beauty challenges me to get my priorities in line and seek godly beauty above all else.

I’m sure most of you have heard of the Proverbs 31 woman.

A Wife of Noble Character ~ Proverbs 31
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.
Her hands are busy spinning thread,
She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes.
She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

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Well, here I am, as I close…the real me.  It takes about 30 minutes in the morning to beautify my outward appearance but it will take a lifetime of God’s work in me to beautify what’s inside…I hope this blog serves to remind you as these experiences have reminded me, where to place our attention when it comes to true beauty!  I want to ever be mindful of that beauty…
Because it’s what’s most important!

Something to think about …always.