Katie likes to watch a show called "What Not to Wear." If you've seen it, you might agree that the hosts of it are rather harsh in the way they deal with victims--er--people. On the other hand, they're often right, and they usually pull a pretty amazing transformation over on people who at first resisted them every step of the way.
The premise is that someone nominates a friend to go on the show and have their wardrobe and "look" revised; then various video takes catch this person wearing the hideous garb that they have chosen for themselves. The person is caught off guard by the hosts, shown the videos, and offered a $5,000 charge card to buy new clothes if they will surrender their closet contents to be disposed of--and even if they agree to this, they usually protest the process of discarding the old clothes.
During the haircut or the makeup, their objective is often stated, and usually has to do with success in the "dating scene." After the process is done, complete with new haircut and makeup, the person comes out parading some new duds and usually is thankful. Often, reference is made to how much their self-image, their confidence is improved. I understand this; everyone likes new clothes, and especially an improvement in their looks, and all the more when it comes free of charge. Still...
I wonder about these people's self-image. Is it truly all tied up in their outer appearance? What about when the outer appearance ages a bit and becomes beyond the typical dating material? Is the external what it is all about, and then does the self-image deteriorate with the collagen? There is a way to make that change permanent, even eternal, and you don't have to give up your whole wardrobe (probably). You may not get a $5,000 charge card, but on the other hand, the changes that happen will be worth infinitely more!
Give not your old wardrobe, but your old outlook, your old sins, your bitternesses, your old way of looking at the source of life, the beginning of the world, the management of the universe...these are pretty primary...and put them in the caring and capable hands of God; let Him give you the makeover of your life. The transformation that you get will give you internal, permanent changes that will give you enough joy, peace, hope, and love that they'll diminish your frown wrinkles, put a twinkle in your eye and a bounce in your step, and you'll look better externally for it. Even when you're 90.
Now, on the other hand, if you want to give me a $5,000 charge card, a salon cut, and a makeover, I think I would give you all my clothes in the closet...
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
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