How’s your self image today?!
By Helen Jesze, 30th October 2015
“I am the voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness (the voice of one shouting in the desert) Prepare the way of the Lord (level, straighten out, the path of the Lord), as the prophet Isaiah said…”
John 1, 23 The Amplified Bible
After John the Baptist started to preach in the desert and baptise people in the Jordan river, some of the Jews sent priests and Levites to him, asking him who he was. He immediately told them that he was not “the Christ”, “the Messiah” they were all waiting for, but replied that he was “a voice”, preparing the way for this Messiah.
John could have said many things, for instance:
Nobody understands my message of repentance and baptism. It’s not popular.”
Why did God choose me for this job?”
The bears have eaten all the wild honey and I can’t find any locust beans!”
Other people have nice clothes but I have to wear a tunic of rough camel’s hair!”
“I’m not really sure why I’m here.”
“I am so lonely living in the desert by myself!”
“Why won’t they let me preach in the synagogues or the Temple?”
But John did not say any of those things. Instead, he chose to say what the Bible said about him. He knew there was a special calling on his life; he had a mandate from God to prepare the way for the Messiah, and he chose to obey God to fulfil this purpose. That “voice” was formed in the desert, away from the bustle and tumult in Jerusalem – just usually him and God and the wild beasts. Until he began to preach – and then the crowds came!
Several people in the Bible were also called by God for a special purpose, but they gave a different answer than John. There was Gideon (Judges 6, 1112), who believed he could not free the nation of Israel from the Midianite tyranny. There was Jeremiah who said he was only a child, when God called him to be a prophet. Isaiah said he was a man of “unclean lips” – not worthy to stand in the office of a prophet and speak the Word of the Lord. Moses said he could not speak well, let alone bring the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. Yet in every case, God showed them He had a different opinion about them, and gave them divine help to accept and fulfil every task.
We might think, well, they were only speaking the truth and being humble! Or perhaps they had a poor self image! According to our natural thinking, they probably were speaking the truth, and this is the way they saw themselves; but God wanted to show them a higher way which transcended their natural thinking, and show them that if they would allow Him to step into their lives, the natural would become the supernatural!
Photos that tell lies
Nowadays we are bombarded with airbrushed photos of celebrities who look so beautiful, so slim, so gorgeous, and the impression is given that we all have to look like them, or we are no good, not attractive, nobody will love us, give us a job, respect what we say. In real life, they often look very different. This is especially difficult for young people growing up in today’s culture, with such photos and this false lifestyle influencing and lying to them. At one time it was mostly girls and young women who, because of their desire to look good, nearly starved themselves and became anorexic. But now increasing numbers of boys and young men are also suffering from these problems.
Others would gorge on huge amounts of food, hiding it from others and secretly binge, then vomit it up, by putting a finger down their throat. (This is called Bulimia.) They wanted to have the joy of eating and tasting it, but would not allow the food to nourish or to stay in their bodies, lest they put on weight.
Princess Di
When Princess Diana of England was alive, she was asked to open a Clinic for people with eating disorders. Sitting before her were the first patients, and this was the first time she spoke openly about her own eating disorders. She said something like this, ”I know what it is like to feel as though I am a Disprin, dissolving in water into powder and then nothing left.” Everybody was very surprised that this beautiful woman could have emotional or self image problems, but it was soon easy to see this was so.
Have you ever been into the “Hall of Mirrors” at the seaside funfair? It is a building where you go in and see your reflection in the different types of mirrors fixed to the wall. In one mirror you look very tall and thin. In another, you look small or fat. Of course, everybody knows they don’t really look like that, so it is only something to make you laugh. Yet there are many of us who really have a false image or picture of ourselves in our mind.
Several years ago when I was leading a “Women’s Aglow” group in Germany, I had a group of 15 – 20 workers. One day I met a young woman (I will call her Brenda) and the Lord told me to ask her to join this group to help in the work. She looked surprised and said I did not know her. I replied that was true, but God did and she should pray about it and see how He led her. A short time later, she came and agreed to become a worker. Then she told me her story.
Fat and ugly – break the mirrors!
Brenda was a young wife and mother of two children, who was convinced that she was ugly, fat and undesirable, worth very little. She went twice a week to a psychiatrist for her depression, but he had no answer, except that she should bring some excitement into her life, by finding herself a lover! As she was a born again Christian, Brenda said she would not do this. Trying to hide her woman’s body, she wore wide sweatshirts and trousers most of the time, and joined the “Green party” as there were many women there who were not comfortable with their sex or their looks.
The people in Brenda’s church told her that her depressions and confused thoughts were “her cross” which she must bear, and there was nothing she could do about it. Although she was not fat and ugly, Brenda grew so desperate that she broke every mirror in the house! One day a woman gave her husband a leaflet inviting them to a large meeting, where a well known evangelist was going to preach. They went along and for the first time, Brenda heard that Jesus could set her free from depression and wrong thoughts, and help her to withstand the lies of Satan. She went forward for prayer and God began to set Brenda free. She and her husband changed their church to one that believed the Bible. It was just after this that I met her.
At first sight, I could have thought, God must have made a mistake! How can someone like Brenda help other women? She needs help herself! It was true she needed help, but I had learnt long ago that God does not expect us to be perfect before He can use us. He starts with us just where we are, and while we are reaching out to others, He reaches out to us in a new way and our healing and deliverance progresses.
Shopping with the ultimate buyer
One day Brenda said she would like to buy some new clothes, but there were so many designs in the shops and she did not know what would look good on her. ”Why don’t you go shopping with the Holy Spirit?” I asked. “He sees all the clothes, is so creative and knows just what you need!” Brenda looked incredulous – she had never thought of that before! But next time we saw her, she was wearing a very nice blue costume and a white blouse with a frilled neck; she had put on some Makeup and curled her hair, and she walked with a new spring in her step and smiled right into your eyes!
“Brenda, what’s happened? You look great!” We all said. “Oh, I’ve just been shopping
with the Holy Spirit!” she laughed. Some time later, Brenda was at a wedding and sitting
not far away was her psychiatrist. She had not been to him for a long time. After a
minute, he came over and asked,“How is your sister? She used to be one of my patients.”
“I haven’t got a sister,” Brenda replied, “I was your patient!”
“Impossible! She looked very different! Unless – did you take my advice and get yourself
a new lover?”
“Well, in one way, I have got a new lover – it’s Jesus – I’ve fallen in love with Him all
over again and He has changed me! So I don’t need to come to you any more!” The
psychiatrist was so amazed, he started to tell her all his problems! God did such a
wonderful work in her, that later, Brenda left my ladies’ group and started a very
successful women’s meeting in her home church!
Poor or distorted self image
Every one of us suffers from this at some time, but many people suffer for years, and we do not have space here to write much about this important subject. Others may have constantly belittled or lied about us, as children. The circumstances of Life may have brought disappointment, discouragement and bitterness; we may not understand God’s workings in our lives, or we may think we are being humble if we always put ourselves down. Jesus said we should love our neighbour as ourselves. This is very difficult if we do not love ourselves.
God brought the Nation of Israel out of Egypt but Egyptian thinking was still in their minds and hearts.
They had to learn to see themselves as God’s Chosen People and act and speak as He wanted them to. We too, often bring old ways of thinking into our new Christian life. Jesus wants us to find out in His Word what He thinks about us, and to let this sink deep down into our spirits – it will begin to change us. So I encourage you today, do like John the Baptist – search and find out what rights and privileges you have as a Child of God through Jesus, and step into a new season of victory!
You are a person of worth! God did not give His very best – His Son Jesus – for animals or things, but for the crown of His creation – men and women, boys and girls made in His likeness!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me not to listen to the lies of people or
Satan. Show me in your Word what I am in you. Change me, Jesus,
heal my brokenness – you are my Life and Existence and I am your
Child. Wrap your divine love around me today! I thank you, Lord.
Amen.
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