Perfect?

Perfect?

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 3:1-7

Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly. John 7:24

Perfect.

What does that word even mean? Most people define it as “without faults, flaws, or problems.” Sadly, way too many of us girls think that we have to be “perfect” to be beautiful. Since all of us have flaws, this makes beauty an unattainable goal.

Fashion magazines are probably the biggest liars when it comes to what’s “perfect” or “beautiful.” The girls on the covers always appear to have shiny hair, flawless skin, big sparkling eyes, long dark eyelashes, tiny tummies, and super thin legs. But did you know none of that is real?

You see, after a photographer takes a model’s picture for a magazine cover, that picture gets sent to a graphic designer. The graphic designer’s job is to load that photo onto a computer and make that woman look as perfect as possible. Using computer art tools, he removes any dark spots or pimples from her skin. He makes her hair look full. He increases the size of her eyes and plumps up her lips. Then as he goes down her body, he lengthens her neck, makes her chest bigger, and makes her waist smaller. He even cuts off the sides of her thighs so they appear thinner. By the time the graphic designer is done with the photo, the model may look very different than she does in real life. The models don’t ever look as flawless in real life as they do on those magazine covers!

Many women love the idea of trying to look perfect, and they spend a lot of money in the attempt. One woman even spent tens of thousands of dollars on more than a hundred surgeries to make her body look as perfect as possible.

If you find yourself beginning to obsess about how you look and you spend more time looking in the mirror than spending time with God, you need a “Perfection Extraction”! Ask God to remove your obsession with looking perfect and replace it with an obsession for pursuing your perfect God. If you make him your number one thing, he’ll become more important to you than your appearance.

Girl Gab: Mom, today try to set aside a little more time than usual to talk about this devo with your daughter. Daughter, tell your mom how you feel about the way you look. Mom, even if your daughter doesn’t seem to struggle in this area, grab onto her and ask God always to help her win the battle against the “perfection” being portrayed in the media.