Dove Beauty Sketches ~ Part 2

A viral video by Dove has hit the Internet. Here is the video.

When I first saw this, I thought that it was a really creative way to talk about beauty! As women, the picture we paint in our minds is usually negative. We focus on the aspects we don't like. 

Now, let's not talk about sales behind this ad. (Dove is a company that sells beauty products.) Let's talk truth about beauty!

The two completed sketches in the video look very different, but what if the woman really did look like the first picture? Would that make her any less beautiful?

As we have talked before, the definition of beauty is one that changes from culture to culture. In order for us to not have a worldly definition of beauty, we must be founded in the Lord's standards.

"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth." 
Psalm 50:2

"Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor..." 
Ezekiel 28:17

These two verses show two very different versions of beauty. The first talks about the beauty of the Lord and its perfection. The latter verse talks about the beauty of man being corrupt. Is it not amazing that scripture tells us God has a standard for beauty? The standard is one that is holy and pure and God calls us to strive for that perfect everlasting beauty.

"...but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."
1 Peter 3:4

So I'm going to say something that might shock you. 

Girls, you are less beautiful than you think.

This being said, I'm NOT talking about exterior beauty -- beauty that is perishable with time and death or that changes with culture or fad. Beauty within the soul is what we should strive to attain that will last into eternity with Christ. Apart from Him, our hearts are not beautiful at all because of sin. It is only the perfect beauty of Christ that covers us and gives us the longing to become beautiful.

I'm not against Dove. I think more people need to encourage women to embrace the bodies the Lord gives us. We should strive for beauty (on the inward person and the exterior) -- NOT for the sake of beauty, but for the glorification of the Lord Who is the Author of beauty!

"One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."
Psalm 27:4