The Devil Really DOES Wear Prada!

I remember as a child there was a very popular girl…in 1st and 2nd grade. I have absolutely NO IDEA how she reached such star status, but she was the “IT” girl at Virginia Court Elementary School. She knew it and so did everybody else.

She used to select her playmates for the day by a leg race. If you wanted to play with her you had to race an opponent and if you won, you got the coveted spot of Cynthia’s playmate for that recess (not even the whole day).

I used to race, though I don’t remember racing daily. I was always the tallest and back then, the fastest in class and could beat ANYONE who tried to compete with me. Alas that ability has faded without training and practice.

I digress. The point is, when I look at that scenario NOW, I am sickened. Not so much because we would actually fall prey to this little girl’s self-serving circus, but because we still do!

I have this friend…we all do; a friend who is a little less than secure about her looks, her image, her personality, her abilities and talents, her intelligence, her feet size, her weight, her children, her husband, her career…yes, sadly the list goes on and on and on. Even more sadly, sometimes the ‘friend’ is really US!

She became hurt by a comment made about one of her ‘insufficiencies’ pointed out by another person. It’s happened to me, I know how it feels to have someone say: “What’s wrong with your HAIR today?” or any comment that points out something WRONG with me. For this young lady, the particular comment was something entirely different, but the effect was the same…the tearing down of a spirit, a soul, that longs for acceptance and to ‘fit in’.

The more we seek and find our significance in what others see in us, the less we focus on what God sees in us; what He PUT in us, that is our very core.

I tell this young women, whenever I’m around her, to ‘speak life’, just as others have told me. I have already told her I am bringing her a book of affirmations for this weekend to speak over her life. I have learned, from taking this route myself, that until I start to speak what only seems to be insignificant words over my life (but is actually the breath of God through His Word), I will continue to cough out the ‘truths’ others’ see and speak about me.

Which one sounds better to you?

I know I mentioned a few weeks back about the power of speaking Scripture over our lives and the lives of our loved ones. It’s one of the tools God has given us to immerse ourselves in who He created us to be.

Satan, in Prada, seeks to point out our differences and even convinces us that we will never be pretty enough, thin enough, smart enough, good enough, wonderful enough, PERFECT enough, for God to truly love us. God says: ENOUGH! You were created BECAUSE I love you. My love equals YOUR creation. You are my child. You are my beloved. You are my hearts desire.

Each of you is different…with purpose. Each of you NEEDS the other; not for significance, but for the wholeness only found in community and relationship. No two people are exactly alike. No one is LESS significant and no one is MORE significant. We are all beautifully and wonderfully made, each a unique fingerprint among God’s hand.

I pray we all walk in THIS truth today and every day! Have a picture perfect Friday!