If we were in a room together, and I were to ask you to raise your hand if you’ve ever felt uncomfortable, frustrated, disappointed, or embarrassed by a feature of your body, I am confident every single one of us would have a hand in the air.

We know the models on the websites aren’t real; we know they’re airbrushed–we have seen the Youtube videos.  We know that the average woman isn’t thin, toned, and a size 4. We know that beauty is fleeting.  We know all of this in our heads, but getting it to our heart is an entirely different game.

Lately, every shirt I slip on, in my mind, seems to accentuate my (un-toned) tummy and my outie belly button (that was an innie before my middle baby made her home in me). I glance down at my son walking towards me, and notice the way it sticks out. And the inner dialogue begins–I should’ve eaten only one serving of the sweet potatoes yesterday rather than two, I should really be more faithful with my exercise routine, maybe I should cut out potatoes and fruits all together for awhile…

I am absolutely an advocate of caring for our bodies (you’d probably think I was nutty if I actually described our family’s dietary choices), and I do want to get into a more consistent exercise routine.  But, when I look at my tummy and you look at whatever it is that makes you grimace and start your own inner dialogue of I shoulds, and decide to change food choices or the exercise plan, the motive is all wrong.

The motivation there is rooted in getting rid of, fitting into…, looking like…

Basing who I am and how I feel about myself on the way my body looks is ridiculous. My body is not who I am. My body is simply the carrier of who I am. When I order a soy latte from my hubby’s Biggby, I am not overly concerned with the appearance of the cup, but the contents. The cups change with the seasons–sometimes they’re holiday themed, and other times they’re sleek and white, but the contents is what I am after.

Your body is a gift but it is not who you are.  Your body carries the part of you God created to last for eternity–a soul of a daughter of the King of Kings. And our choices about the care of our bodies, our temples, should flow out of hearts that are abundantly filled with admiration for all of God’s creation, including ourselves.

So, as we pull on tank tops & swim suits here in Michigan (because, hallelujah it’s finally hot!), let us think more about our contents than our container. Let the only reason we make changes for our temple care routine be to better glorify God and be prepared to share our contents.

“Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:7, AMP

*I’ll see you later next week, I’ll be taking Memorial Day off from posting as y’all will be too busy to read anywho!*