We Often See Other Ugly Noses, But Not Our Own

Written Saturday 2/19/11

 

I once heard someone say that the character traits you
notice about other people, are usually because you embody them…It can go both
ways… You can meet someone and say  â€œThey are so loud and arrogant.â€� Or  “They are such a sweetheart.â€� Usually, it’s the negative
things that we notice in others…but we never really see those negative traits
in ourselves.

I read a great analogy about this, somewhere…

It’s like the nose on our face, it’s there and everyone can
see it clearly, except for the owner.

I just walked into Kuya’s house from staring up at the
Filipino stars in the sky. The breeze was blowing, and the bamboo was creaking
like the sound of gentle rain. Thoughts were running through my mind of the day
and evening’s events. I started to notice a thread…something that stuck out to
me about the two new people I met today, and have noticed in others, for so
many years, and even noticed in myself… it started to frustrate me…

Some of my teammates have built a relationship with a girl
over the past couple of weeks. They invited her out to dinner tonight, and
invited us to come along. I was privileged to meet her. And I started to ask
her some questions, that I already knew the answer to because my teammate told
me her background story, but I wanted to hear them from her, and build some
type of a relationship with her.

She’s a beautiful 22- year old Filipina lady who has been
dating a much, much older British man. They are partners who own a bar on the
strip. In short, she is not happy in her relationship for many, many reasons.
Most of which are too personal to share publically, but it’s safe to say it is
NO WA, a healthy relationship.

When I asked her how she met him, she went on to tell her
story. As she was talking, she said a couple of things that stood out to me.
One of them being, “He promises things, but promises are meant to be broken.�
And as she continued to talk, her words kept on devaluing herself.

All I kept thinking in my head was “She doesn’t see how
valuable she is!� and “God doesn’t ever break His promises!�

There she was, this beautiful Filipina young woman, settling
for hurt, pain, and rejection from the man whom she has been loyal to. She
didn’t see her worth!

It became so frustrating!

I started to get so mad at Satan, and his many
lies…especially towards women.

I saw myself in the words that clinked out of her mouth like
heavy chains of insecurity. I have been there. I didn’t’ see my worth or beauty
for so many years. I didn’t see how valuable I am. I talked down about myself,
and felt less than because of what man thought of me.

I totally understood where she was coming from.

But I also now know how God can transform that way of
thinking, through His truth.

I AM beautiful.

I AM valuable.

I AM worth the King of all Kings paying the price of all
prices for MY mess-ups, on the cross.

It has been a long, confusing, and at times, hurtful journey.
And I can’t say that I have arrived 100%, but I’m not where I was, in my identity,
before the race started.

I’m learning that God validates me. And loves me
extravagantly. I don’t find my beauty in what man says about me, or find my
worth in the comparative and subjective scales that myself or others have.

I wanted so desperately to transfer that Spiritual awakening
to this young lady, as if by osmosis. But we can’t force someone to make a decision, when their mind is made up. Only the Holy Spirit can do that.

But we all did shared words of Truth with her.

I kept on telling her how beautiful she was… she couldn’t
receive it. But the more we said it, the less she started to resist.

I’m praying that God’s Spirit will begin the revelation of how
valuable she is, even tonight.

And so standing outside, I started to think about all the
women in the world who feel less than. Who don’t feel worthy, or valuable, or
special, or beautiful, and think that they need to settle for less than best.

My goodness, the devil has fed us women these lies for far too
long…and they have been way too loud!!

I pray that God will reveal how valuable, treasured, and
beautiful you truly are. He’s been showing me that more and more, day by day.

“For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him
for he is your lord.� Psalm 45:11

God delights in your beauty.

Men, you are not exempt from feelings of worthlessness.
Guys… God created you handsomely and wonderfully the way that you are!

I pray that God will continue to open up doors where I can
encourage women in how precious they are to God, and they can be confident, and
secure in God’s love for them. They don’t have to life a life that is one of
settling, feeling less than, or of comparison.

Dwell on these words. They are from the book Song of Songs
in the Bible, which is symbolic of God’s love for us. I can’t wait to share
these truths with my new Filipina friend.

But right now, God is telling you:

“ You are beautiful my darling, beautiful beyond words.�
S.O.S 4:1

“ You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in
every way.� S.O.S 4:7

“ You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You
hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes.� S.O.S 4:9

“Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride.� S.O.S 4:10

Agenda: Love,

Bethsaida

P.S. the second person I met today is Katrina. He’s, what he
called, a lady boy, or Bakla. Amanda and I have a dinner date with him Monday.
I’m excited to get to know him more, and be able to share God’s extravagant
love with him too. An update to follow.