How do the female species handle their appearance while on the race? What will the women on my team do? Will they not even care and go freestyle with hairy legs/pits, flat greasy hair, mustaches, dirty nails, body odor, and no makeup? Or will they make attempts to keep up the physical image they had in America?
I can't wait to find out!
Not that I care either way (well…maybe the odor part), but I curiously anticipate some interesting discussions on vanity, media, upbringing, self esteem, psychology and sociology. Why do men find certain physical characteristics appealing and others unappealing? Does it differ from culture to culture? Once this brain gets started it needs to know…
The main thing I wanted to get across here is that I hope every man and woman going on the race (and people in general) would not be bound by fears of whether or not they are physically attractive. What does God say on the topic?
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
From Saul's shoulders upward he was taller than everyone else and said to be the most handsome guy in ALL of Israel (1 Sam 9:2)! Hearing that description doesn't make me feel very physically desirable, but what happened to Saul? Saul didn't obey the Lord (1 Sam 15). Sure he looked really good physically and I'm sure all the ladies were eyeballing him, but without a right heart he was rejected as king by God.
David (the king God chose to replaced Saul) on the other hand was short. The Bible still mentions him as handsome, but what does everyone really remember about David? Besides taking down Goliath, isn't it that David was a man after God's heart?
What's the lesson?
Are we seeking to be physically attractive outwardly to gain approval of humans or are we seeking the approval of God?
I'm not saying give up and become a person of Walmart, but the amount of time and thought spent on ones physical appearance should pale in comparison to the time spent making the inner self attractive. 30 minutes in front of a mirror each morning vs 30 minutes of self introspection / prayer. What r-e-a-l-l-y matters?
So everyone out there…you were created just as you are. Don't fret. God looks at your heart. May He always be smiling because your heart is true and pure toward Him 😀
Ladies…if you find yourself looking and smelling like a sasquatch just remember that what matters for eternity is your heart and not how flowery your hair smells or whatever you girls focus on 😛
To top it off…studies have shown that people don't pay nearly as much attention to you as you think. So get your eyes off of yourself and onto the needs of others! oh dang…someone out there just got blasted!
