For some reasons “Cast off!” was the expression popping up to my mind when I started to write this post. “Cast off!” As a captain would tell his crew before setting sail in the deep sea.
My sister came to visit for a week. While we were talking on the phone a few days before her trip, I was complaining about how two pregnancies have changed my body; how my hair fell off my head leaving me a huge bald spot and no other option but cutting off the whole thing. I told her about how I was feeling sorry for my husband who loved my natural long hair and how all this was upsetting and saddening me. I have to say that I prayed a lot about this, and it seems like the more I was praying the worse it was getting. At some point I came to believe that the Lord wasn’t caring much about my concern and I gave up; not without some kind of resentment and a load of frustration. So I guess I was a little worried about seeing her after seven years and I was trying to get her ready to meet the new me. In fact, I was embarrassed by my new appearance and was concerned about what she would think of me.
Surprisingly, the day we had this conversation on the phone the Lord finally answered through the very mouth of my sister putting an end to years of struggle, piles of products stocked on my bathroom counter top, and hours of research (videos of time consuming hair care routines and worthless products reviews). The Lord said: “Tell her that when I was raised on the cross, my body was unrecognizable, but my glory was incomparable!”
Does the Lord cares about our feelings? He certainly does. Does He care about whether we are physically attractive or not? I don’t think so! It took me so long to understand a truth that was all the time before my eyes; In the book of Isaiah 53 verse 2 it is stated (talking about the Lord Himself): “And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him”.
The Lord Jesus was not attractive, He wasn’t some handsome fit and tall gorgeous blond guy Hollywood has depicted to us and that we picture every time we think about Him.
King Lemuel in Proverbs 31:30 said those words which I humbly believe should be engraved in the heart of all women professing godliness: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”
Yes, my hair is not as full and luxuriant as it used to be when I was younger. And yes, my belly has registered some stubborn stretch marks since my last pregnancy, but my heart has also gained in wisdom and in the fear of the Lord. So I decided to “cast off!” the superfluity that was distracting me from my celestial goal and focus on what matters the most. Now, I simply adorn myself with modesty, moderation, and good work which are certainly more pleasant to the Lord.