From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version, 2 Co 5:16-17 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989).
Recently I was struck by the above passage. It actually began before I reread this passage. I was having a conversation with Emily, the young woman who lives with us, and some how in the conversation it came out that what we see in other people (all to often) is not the redemptive work of Christ, but the consequence of sin. That leads us to criticizing and condemning others (cursing them), when they have been created (and as Christians recreated) in the image of God. When God created them, He had something good in mind. I believe this is why when Jesus dealt with both the woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery, that he didn't condemn them. They already knew they had sinned. But according to John 3:17 Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save it. All those who don't already believe stand condemned. He saw them as people God had created rather than just seeing them through their sin.
But my point is that we tend look at people (and ourselves) from a "worldly" perspective. We don't see ourselves or others as created or redeemed by God to serve God's purposes on the earth. We see their quirks and their sin (or ours) and we condemn them in our minds and reject them. Now this could go lots of directions but for now I want to restrict my discussion to how we look a people in their physical form...
Consider the following images -
This is an image by Paul Rubens and in its time people considered such women quite beautiful
And this lovely beauty is an image of a fertility goddess. I am sure I could pick some images of modern day beauties as well but my point is, that what is considered beautiful changes from age to age and from culture to culture. What we think is beautiful may not be considered beautiful by others.
Some cultures want their women shaved. Some want them to have tattoos on their faces or bones in their noses. In America, or in the modern world, we have come to define beauty by the images that modeling agencies parade before our eyes or by the current pop stars images. But even that is a gross exaggeration. The point is that the world will always try to dictate to us what is acceptable and what is beautiful. But if we are to accept the words of Paul recorded above. We as Christians can no longer judge people that way.
We cannot look at others the way the world does and judge them acceptable or not. All people who are walking this earth were created in the image of their Maker. No matter the gender, the race, the size or the age, they were all created in His image. And for those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are recreated (redeemed). We are no longer what we were (speaking of our fallen or sinful state). What does this mean to us?
Simply this - We cannot define other people by worldly standards. We cannot judge a person by the package they are in. We cannot judge ourselves by others opinions of us either. We cannot say we are too fat or too skinny based upon some image we have been fed by watching movies and music videos. We must find our value in the eyes of our Creator and Redeemer.
Have you ever noticed how little the Bible has to say about people's weight. And when it comes to a woman's appearance is really encourages us to stop looking at the external and consider the eternal. If we reject someone for being over weight or the wrong color skin or the wrong height then we are judging our Creator. Ya someone may have issues with overeating. But the issue is their health and their substituting food for love. God doesn't like gluttony because it is just another form of idolatry. But that is back to the issue isn't your form as much as it is what you do with what God has given you.
In the natural on redeemed state what appeals to us is what our culture has told us is attractive. That could be the media or it could have been what our mother looked like and how are father reacted to her. As Christians we are not to look at people that way. We are not to look at ourselves that way. If we are... we need to ask for new eyes. To see people the way God sees them. Often what revolts us, is part of the reason Christ died; to save us from sin and the consequence of sin. He died to redeem our thinking and to redeem our values. He wants us to stop judging people by standards that do not have any application in the Kingdom of God.
Christian men, you are not to judge your sisters by the current sex goddess in the world. You are to love all of them as your sisters. Women of faith, stop judging yourselves by worldly standards. Stop thinking you have to live up to the images that our culture has thrust upon us. Seek God, live for Him, find your value in His eyes. Because in the end it is the only place where true value lies. All of us will grow old. All of our bodies will suffer loss. You can exercise if you want, there is nothing wrong with strengthening your heart, bones and muscles, but don't let becoming fit become your god. Nothing should rule you but the Love of God; Not sexual appetites, tastes for sweets or the desire to be beautiful in the world's eyes. Seek God and obey him. If He says relax then relax. If He says go for a walk, then go for a walk. If He says give up sugar then do so. The Spirit of God is in every one who has received God's salvation. Trust Him to lead you into the kind of life that God has created you for. Stop looking to others. Stop judging yourself by standards that are not God's standards. His ways are not the ways of the world. What the world calls wisdom, God calls foolishness.
Praying that as you read this that God will set you free from the trap of worldly thinking and standards. That God will open your mind to see others and yourself as He sees you though the Blood of Christ.
Blessings
Alan
