“And yes, all the flaws, mistakes, doubts, fears, passions, convictions and accomplishments that come with the true you are absolutely welcome.”-Myesha Chaney
I remember the first time someone asked me “do you know how beautiful you are?” I didn’t respond, thoughts flooded through my head of how many times I had been called fat, ugly, stupid and dumb. Somehow despite all of the negative thoughts running through my head I heard for the first time,“You are mine, and you are beautiful!” I heard it, and in all honesty I did not believe it the first time, or the second time, it took a lot of hearing Him over and over, and Him sending people in my life to speak that truth to me. Even still today I forget those words and I give in to the lies of being unworthy and I apply another coat of bright.red.lipstick. I have encountered many women, young ladies, and teenagers that have been hiding from who they really are, and when they get a glimpse of their true identity it seems too good to be true.
In John 4 we read the story of The Woman at the Well; where Jesus Christ a Jew speaks to a Samaritan woman who has been deemed unworthy. This woman has every color of lipstick you could imagine, and because of the life she has lived she wears them really well. Jesus offers her living water, living water that will cleanse her free of any guilt, conviction, and lipstick. He did not cease, and by the end of their conversation He had spoken so much truth into her life that she does not even recognize herself, every lie that had been thrown at her, every ounce of shame that she had felt was quickly lifted off of her and replaced with love.
This woman went to the well just as she was, with every mistake, fear, doubt, and flaw and He still met her there! He didn’t ask her to go back home to shower, shave her legs, curl her hair, and etc. He asked nothing of her but instead he offered her a gift of love and life, and that does not change for you and I. When I first met Him, He took me in just as I was and to this day He has never asked my to change, He has only showed me my true identity which has moved me to change.
The phrase Hiding Behind the Lipstick calls women to understand that there is nothing wrong with them, that they don’t have to “get right” to receive the gift of love. Lipstick refers to the mask that we put on as women that hides the light of who we really are from shining, we do that because of fear, doubt and worry. For so long the different mask that I put on began to feel natural, I forgot that they were not supposed to be there. When the mask begin to come off it felt weird, I was certain that this is not who I am because it was not comfortable. When is pruning ever comfortable? The word in itself even sounds painful.
For the world race I have been blessed to be on a team of all women. We are women from all different backgrounds that have experienced many different mask in our lifetime. We have felt Him and heard Him who is true. He has helped us remove lipstick that we’ve worn for years and I know for me He is still at work. As a TEAM He has CHOSEN us to speak truth to those that have not yet been revealed to who they really are in Him, to speak truth within our team; so that we know on a daily basis we are women that are loved, cared for, beautiful, worthy, desirable and known.
“To be known is to be loved. And to be loved is to be known!”
