KIDS TALK ABOUT GOD
How can I accept the way I look?
By Carey Kinsolving and friends
(Part Two of Three)
“I can learn to accept my appearance as a unique creation of God if I could have a little more money so that maybe I can get a pony!” says Madeline, 10.
First you get the pony, and then you’ll want the hat, western shirt and boots. Everyone wants a pony. It’s something that we desire to make us look better. But after we get our pony, there’s always another one just over the horizon.
For years, my pony has been a baby blue Jaguar convertible. If I could only get a Jag, I know I would look sooo much better. But then, I would have to have the little sports car hat and driving gloves as well.
“I can be happy with the way I look by remembering when Seth’s sister said I look cute,” says Joshua, 6.
Hey, if Seth’s sister says you’re cute, that’s great. But what if another girl says you look like a bull with buck teeth? What happens then?
Grant, 11, has something to say about this: “Throughout my life, people called me names because that’s the way most people think about my looks. God created me, and you should know God created you the way you are for a reason.”
Only the divine perspective can lift us above the chatter of people who try to get ahead by name calling. Every time I fly on an airplane, I’m always amazed at how quickly the people and cities below become so small.
If you could travel to the moon, the entire Earth would appear as a dot.
The closer you become to God, the less you’ll be disturbed by the opinions of cruel people.
When you know that God created you for a reason, you can accept your appearance as part of God’s plan. This doesn’t mean you should live on Twinkies® and Kool-Aid®. Accepting your appearance as part of God’s plan includes being a good steward of what God gave you.
While we’re on the subject of food, I know my wife will be glad to hear what Chelsea, 11, said: “I’m like a piece of chocolate candy, and God is the candy maker. He molds my life to make it fit his image.”
There will probably be times when we feel more like a dried-up turnip than a piece of delectable Godiva® chocolate. During these times, we have to lock onto what God is doing and ignore other voices.
“Sometimes you might not feel like you look good, but it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside. It matters what’s on the inside,” says Andrew, 9.
The story of the prophet Samuel’s search for the Lord’s anointed man to replace King Saul reminds us of the difficulty of looking past outward appearances. Samuel was a prophet of God, yet when he saw David’s older brother, he thought this surely must be the Lord’s anointed.
“But the Lord said to Samuel, `Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (I Samuel 16:7).
Think about this: God wants to deliver us from living by appearance.
Memorize this truth: I Samuel 16:7 quoted above.
Ask this question: If a prophet of God can be taken in by someone’s appearance, how much more do we need to be on guard against choosing our friends based on their appearance?
“Kids Talk About God” is written and distributed by Carey Kinsolving. To access free, online “Kids Color Me Bible” books, “Mission Explorers” videos, a new children’s musical, and all columns in a Bible Lesson Archive, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. To read journey-of-faith feature stories written by Carey Kinsolving, visit www.FaithProfiles.org.
