Real Beauty is . . . Loving Yourself?

We get the message often. A Christian girl should ignore what pop culture tells her about her worth. She should not seek true beauty in her appearance. She should not compare her body, hair, or skin to that of other women. She should accept herself for who she is. Essentially, she should love herself.

But the truth? The message I want to shout to every girl? It's this. No, you are not your hair or your skin or the shape of your body. No, you are not your clothes or your shoes or your nails. 
But, no you are not your personality or your dreams or your "inner you," either.

You are your soul. You are a part of you that no one can see. You are God's. Do you hear me? You belong to God. 

Real beauty is not gained by loving yourself as you are. It is gained by loving God.

Real beauty is not gained by accepting yourself because you're special. It is gained by reaching always higher, away from mediocrity and toward Christ's holiness.

Real beauty is not gained by becoming confident in yourself. It is gained by trusting God. By realizing that you need Him.

So when you hear another pep talk for girls that encourages you to be confident in yourself and your abilities and to love the way you look, think about this: Does the world really need more people to love themselves? Is there truly a need for more narcissism in our culture? Or is there a need for humble, courageous women who love God and others above themselves?