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Can You Hear Me Now?

Friday, September 01, 2006

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!

18 comments:

Grafted Branch said...

A good exhortation, Kim...really good...but I'm sorry, I must go back to the little girl and the race. UNBELIEVABLE! If that wasn't so...so...I don't even have a word for that, but if it wasn't so *whatever* I'd be laughing myself silly.

Wonder what she's doing now? I hope she's found the Lord, because that little sin-weed (as I call it) didn't even start out small! Can you imagine what it grew up to be?

kpjara said...

Actually, when we moved, so did her family and we ended up at the same H.S. and she was even worse! She wrote in my annual..."We only sat by you in Chemistry for the A's".

I pray to God she has changed and been humbled in the process. I try to keep it in mind when my own head starts swimming in clouds.

Diane Viere said...

Thank for your very encouraging post today. Truer words cannot be spoken!

These are great words for this mid-life mamma! Being the person we were created to be....by the One who loves us most.....is so much better than focusing on the outward appearance of a sagging, tiring, middle-aged woman! Thankfully, God uses our frailities for HIS power and purpose! There is great strength in that knowledge.

Diane

Just Me said...

Wow! what a great post - again!!! You always share such timely stuff for me! I've been working on this little problem in myself for the last year. I'd gone thru some ministry, which helped me identify those 'prada statements' that I constantly say about myself, my life and God's love - and these people sat with me and helped me 're-write' truth statements, that line up with God's word about me. For three months, I'd speak these statements over myself - now I do it whenever I just want or need to reaffirm who I truly am in Christ, and what He says about my life. Ya..what we speak over ourselves is powerful!....oh and by the way...I think your school mate must have moved to Canada - I 'recognize' that spirit!

Chris said...

OK, have you been reading my mail??? OH, just my blog, then! :)

You SO hit the nail on the head with me. We're heading out to the wedding from ... well, the wedding- shortly, and I really needed to hear this.

Blessings!

someone else said...

It's so terribly important that we only try to see ourselves through God's eyes. I used to tell my girls that when they compare themselves to others, they will usually find themselves coming up short. There's always someone brighter, prettier, more talented, etc. But when they measure themselves by only themselves, they will better see who God intended them to be. It's so hard to remember, even at my age.

Good words for a Friday, Kim.

Kristen said...

This is such a great post. I remember girls like that in Elementary school, junior high, high school, and hey, even in my current life. Thank you for this great reminder on a Friday morning

Shalee said...

Is it coincidental that you posted this one after the award envy post? Hmmm... I think not!

Yet again you are tapped into the heart of God and encouraging others to see the same goodness that is before, around and within us.

Blessings to you!

GiBee said...

I'm getting just sick over all the falling out I'm seeing through the blogs...

Can't we just play nice?

C'mon --- I'll race you!

Seriously, great post, Kim!

Andrea said...

Bravo! I'm ready to do a little jig. The freedom we can find in Christ definitely includes the freedom to not hold ourselves by someone else's measuring stick. And that's worth getting excited about and is the basis for healthy relationships.

Dawn said...

The insecurities of youth are a hard thing. I never thought I was attractive. I wasn't athletic. I was very tall and rather clumsy. But for some reason I still wore 3 inches spikes! I dared someone to ask me out who was tall enough for me. Thank the Lord I got over that (after ruining my toes!), and married someone just my height who is my soul mate and my partner. He things I'm beautiful. But it doesn't even matter about that. We are beautiful in God's eyes.

Pilot Mom said...

Godly affirmations are so important! Thank you for an excellent and timely reminder. We set ourselves up for our own fall by looking to others to fill that need. Why don't we learn? *shakes head*

Anonymous said...

Kim, you have such great thoughts! I've been reading since "Jesus came to Starbucks" - I absolutely loved that post!

About my books - if for some reason you can't locate them at Mardel's (it totally depends on what the manager orders and I'm kind of a newbie on the publishing scene)I'd be happy to send you one myself. Just let me know. My email is in the right-hand sidebar of my blog.

Sally said...

great post kim- so much wisdom and truth...

Vicki Caruana said...

I just discovered your blog...wise words indeed...why is it that we forget them so easily????

tam said...

Are you really just an everyday woman with issues like everyone else or are you really an angel on earth giving forth wisdom under the pseudo-name kpjara?

I tell you woman...God is speaking through you and I'm obviously not the only one who thinks that!!!

Joy M. said...

My youngest daughter, who is homeschooled, just had a public school "friend" tell her that all the kids (at the school they used to go to together), are talking about her(my daughter) and don't like her anymore. Since we have been facing the very real possiblity that she may have to go back to school so I can go back to work, she BEGGED to not have to go back out of the fear of this. I can only guess why this girl told her this and believe me, it was very hard to set the example of forgiveness on this one.

Satan uses everything he can to destroy us doesn't he?

kpjara said...

Joy,

I am so sorry to hear about this situation. Teenage and pre-teen girls can be some of the meanest people. It's often not enough to just believe and KNOW that "God has our back". I'll pray for your daughter, cause friends can make or break the whole school experience.