We live in a world that idolizes athletes, movie stars, models and celebrities of all sorts. The media paints a picture that tells girls they’re not pretty enough and guys they’re not macho enough. Our women aren’t pretty unless they cake on make-up and appear stick skinny. Our men aren’t macho enough unless they bench 500 lb. and sleep with as many women as possible.

These standards are causing young girls everywhere to harm their God-given bodies, in exchange for what they believe is a sexier more acceptable version.  Whether it’s through plastic surgery or a variety of eating disorders, women are tirelessly trying to transform into someone who will never be good enough.

While the women are desperately searching for a new body and a prettier face, our young men are comparing “man-cards” to see who slept with more girls last weekend. After checking that off it’s who got the drunkest, who remembers less or who lifts the most. Since when did this become the criteria to declare yourself a man?

If these are our standards then we have set the bar depressingly low. Our youth deserves better than this. They deserve something great to strive for, something great to chase after and something great to dream about. If no change is made, we as a people have failed miserably to pass the torch. Our legacy will be nothing more than a great story on TFM or another tombstone from a young girl who wasn’t quite thin enough. Is that the best we can do? I for one know we can do better! God made us capable of so much more than what we are showing. Sooner or later we are going to have to raise the bar and stop living down to our standards and start living up to His. He has created each and every one of us in His image and because of this we are all perfectly made. We were made to be individuals, unique in our own special way.

Not every girl is designed to be a size 2 and not every guy is destined to play in the Super Bowl. What we have to realize is that this is okay! Everybody has a gift and every gift is different. Can you imagine how boring this world would be if everyone was exactly the same? It would be miserable! The same music would be playing on every ipod and the same show would be airing on every channel. One of the things that makes the world so great is diversity! It’s about time we break up with who society tells us we are and start loving the person we were carefully designed to be (and yes, that includes the imperfections). The quicker we learn to love ourselves and each other, the better this world will be.

So look in the mirror and be happy! Look in the mirror and love the person looking back!

Categories: Life Posts

Tags: acceptance, athletes, blog, blogging, celebrities, Christianity, creation, failure, future, God, happiness, individual, Jesus, legacy, life, movie stars, perfection, standards, vision, youth