Tiny Reflections

The energetic smile quickly disappeared from her 10-year-old face. They were talking about her weight again. I couldn’t help but notice the slump in her shoulders and the tears cascading down her cheeks as the doctor left the room. Recognizing her pain, I made my way to her, hoping to offer some relief from the sting of the conversation. As I looked into her sweet face, I caught a glimpse of every girl she represented at such a young and tender age. As I reminded her she is more than a number on a scale and that her worth is not defined by the physical, I recalled how many times I had spoken these exact words over myself.

Later that evening as I prepared to put my one-year-old daughter to bed, I watched as she became very aware of her tiny reflection in our floor-length bedroom mirror. The pure fascination and enjoyment exuding from her sweet face caught my attention. As I watched her innocently delighting in her reflection I recognized the Holy Spirit reminding me, “Rachel, this is how your Heavenly Father sees you.” Sweet friend, have you ever needed a reminder like this to eclipse the lies in your head? The lie that says you’re not enough, you’re too damaged, your relationship status identifies you, you will never measure up, or the shape of your body dictates your value.

Too often, these lies have become distractions stealing too much of my attention and energy. They have caused me to idolize things that do not satisfy me and choose self-destructive, unhealthy choices. Sweet friend, our earthly bodies, achievements, and relationships were never designed to be the root of our identity, worth, and satisfaction. Don’t get me wrong, they are incredible gifts! They show the loving, personal nature of our Heavenly Father, and we are responsible for being good stewards of these gifts. However, if we are not careful, Satan can lead us to exalt them and use them to divert us from the path God has set for us. In a society that places so much emphasis on our outward appearances,1 Samuel 16:7 is a beautiful reminder that God is concerned with the condition of our hearts.

Sweet friend, you were created on purpose (Psalm 139:13), in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), for a specific purpose (Ephesians 2:10). In a world that is ever-changing one thing remains constant, as a daughter in Christ, our identity is rooted in Him and what He says about us. Ephesians 1:3-14 declares that we are blessed, chosen, adopted, loved, redeemed, forgiven, known, and God’s possession. When the enemy whispers lies attempting to steal our security, may we speak the truth of this scripture as a declaration and walk in the freedom of who Christ says we are! As mothers, grandmothers, aunts, teachers, etc., may we etch these truths into the hearts of our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and any young girls the Lord has placed in our sphere of influence.