Compared to Who? a 10-Day Plan to Improve Your Body ImageSample

There's a story in the Bible about David, the scrawniest of the sons of a man named Jesse. When the prophet Samuel set out to anoint one of Jesse's boys as the next King of Israel, he assumed God would choose a strapping older son. But God had different plans. In 1 Samuel 16, the Lord tells Samuel not to look at the outward appearance because He looks at the heart. Eventually, Samuel anoints David, the youngest (and likely the smallest) of the brothers.

Scholars say God reminds Samuel not to look at the outer appearance because Israel had made that mistake in the past. King Saul looked the part. Tall, strong, and handsome, he garnered admiration for his good looks. But, eventually, he failed the nation because his heart wasn't as attractive as his face.

It's hard to believe that the appearance of our hearts matters most. As a teenager, I heard about "true beauty" in church. But I still cared more about my jeans' size than my prayer time.

Culturally we say things like, "It's what's on the inside that counts." But, I think this, too, over-simplifies the real struggle beneath our body image issues.

When I speak to women's groups, I ask, "How many of you have never heard this expression?" Not a single hand has gone up in a decade.

A few years ago, I conducted a body image survey. I asked Christian women what helped their body image struggle. Ninety-seven percent of the women I surveyed said that typical clichés like, "It's what's on the inside that counts," didn't help them at all.

But, ironically enough. When I asked, "What do you tell a friend who is struggling with body image?" A majority chose that exact phrase!

Our body image issues need meatier answers. The clichés we lean on are as ineffective as over-the-counter zit cream on a monster-sized pimple. I've had my fair share of skin struggles, and now I know: Topical ointments, scrubs, and soaps may help a bit, but acne's root is often internal.

Likewise, there are many ways we try to treat our body image issues topically. From beauty treatments to workout plans, we hope that physical change will solve our problems. But, unless we examine our hearts, we miss the root of our struggles.

Today we'll look at scriptures about the value and necessity of searching and examining our hearts.