Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Posted in Daily Focus on Thursday, January 2, 2014
I stood looking at the photographs pasted on the outside edge of my daughter's bedroom mirror. What had started as a few pictures of a look-alike movie star had now turned into a collage of movie-star photographs that left only one small space for her reflection in the middle of the mirror. I sighed as my heart cringed.
Apparently, the homeschooling curriculum I had used to teach my daughter her value in God's eyes wasn't working. Satan's lies were convincing my daughter to identify herself with the world's definition of beauty. I cried as I thought of the depression she seemed to display each morning. "No wonder," I said to myself. "Who could compare to each of these air-brushed beauties?" How could I teach her that Proverbs 31:30 was true. "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."
If there ever was a beauty in the Old Testament, Esther was it! Chosen from the most beautiful women in Persia to be the wife of King Ahasuerus, the meaning of her name came true: she was a "star." Although she wasn't in a major motion picture, God cast her for a part that would save the entire nation of Jews. The true beauty of her character, which lay in her faithfulness to Jehovah God and His people, shone when she chose to listen to God instead of her fears and claimed, "If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16).
Someday I look forward to meeting this beautiful woman in heaven, for it was her story that turned around my daughter's life. Praise God for the wisdom to teach our children the truth and the mighty power of His Holy Word that is tested and sure, never returning void. "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).
Jesus, make my heart sensitive to my children's needs and lead me as I teach them Your truths. The world's ways seem so much stronger at times, and it is only by Your hand that I know what to do. Thank you, Jesus, for being the most beautiful thing in my life. In Your precious name, Amen.
Comments(5 comments)
CHRISTINE S 01/02/2009 15:49:18
I also am concerned for our children. I have little boys, whom I'm trying to raise as respectful, character filled young men. Jesus, bless our precious children and show them the beauty that you see.
AMEN
ELISHA H 01/02/2011 04:57:11
This is wonderful, thank you for allowing the Lord to teach you, so you could teach your daughter, and I in turn could and will teach mine.
MELODIE G 01/02/2013 11:10:26
Amen!! Although my daughters don\'t feel ugly, I do. I am 36 and getting tons of age spots. In the past my daughter lost all the hair on her body due to alopecia so I shaved my head with her. I said If someone makes fun of us they were not a good friend anyway. Well my daughter reminded me of that when I was worried about my brown spots. Today\'s story drove it home. Thank you for these newsletters.
KARLA D 01/02/2013 12:25:37
Reminds me of me when I was a teen!
crystal rassi 01/02/2014 16:29:04
There is a movie about Esther. It's called "One Night with the King". It's amazing!