True Worth

The last few weeks I've been watching The Biggest Loser on Tuesday evenings, mainly because we got rid of DIRECTV to save a few dollars so I can't watch my HGTV shows anymore. It comes on right after Jeopardy, which I like to watch while I run on my treadmill because when I'm focused on something else it seems to make the time go faster. The Biggest Loser motivates me to finish those last few minutes after Jeopardy is over.

Tonight, though, I started thinking about the premise of the show. All of these people are competing to see who can lose the most weight. I certainly see the value in a little competition because it can help keep you accountable when you're trying to get healthy. But what I noticed on tonight's episode made me wonder if these types of shows are really good for us.

One of the most important details of the show is the revelation of the numbers on the scale. Every time they interview someone, they post the total amount of weight lost. Believe me, I understand the importance of eating healthy foods, exercising, and getting to and maintaining a healthy weight. Encouraging people to make that kind of lifestyle change is the concept of the show I really enjoy.

What frustrates me is when they base their self image on how they look. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to look good, as long as you keep it in a proper perspective. It can be dangerous, though, when it becomes an obsession, and I think that's why we have so many young women and girls today who struggle with eating disorders.

We live in a society that has defined beauty in terms of swimsuit models and celebrities who spend hours in the gym with their personal trainers. Teenage girls are striving for a standard no average woman can possibly achieve. It's no wonder they starve themselves and feel like they don't measure up.

I am learning to look at myself and see a woman of true beauty rather than zeroing in on what I see as flaws. And it has nothing to do with the numbers on the scale or the size on the tags of my clothing. It has everything to do with a God who sees me as His treasured possession.

When I was pregnant for Stefan, my mother-in-law said to me, "The first thing you'll think when they put that baby in your arms is, 'Oh, my goodness, I can't believe my parents love me this much.'"

When Stefan was born and they placed him in my arms after an emergency C-section, I understood why she said that. For the first time I knew the love between a mother and her child. But I also thought, "Oh, my goodness, I can't believe God loves me this much!"

There are a few people I would give my life for - my husband and my kids are among them. But I would not give my sons' lives for anyone. And that's just what God did for me. He loved me so much that He was willing to give His only Son to die an awful death so that I could be called His child.

When I think about that, I know my worth is not at all about how I look. God created me in His image, and He loves me just as I am! No, my true worth comes from my identity as a child of God. My prayer is that more and more young women will discover this amazing truth that can set them free from the bondage of feeling inadequate.