I've struggled with a slight weight problem for years. Recently I decided if I were going to ever look like the models in the magazine, I was going to have to go under the knife. As the time got closer for my consultation, I began having uneasy feelings about the whole thing. I stepped back and really sat down to rethink my priorities. I had to ask myself If I had done all I could do, and if I had followed all the health messages outlined in the Bible, to better my health. What was the real reason I was willing to do this? Was this just vain selfish desires of the flesh? And, Is this something God would be pleased with?
We are living in the microwave era where everything is fixed in 3 seconds flat. The old fashioned way of cutting back the calories and exercising is overlooked by the likes of liposuction, breast augmentations, gastric bypass /lap surgeries, nose jobs, and much more. Janet Jackson, Star Jones, Heidi Montag, and a slew of other celebs have all done it but should Christians be following suit? Surprisingly there are quite a few Christians, as well as Gospel artist jumping aboard the nip-and-tuck ship. Among the more noteable Christian celebs, who've undergone some form of weight loss procedure, are Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Darwin Hobbs, Vickie Winans, JoMarie Payton, Andrae and Sandra Crouch . They all look pretty amazing but I wonder if they (we) understand that, without fixing what's wrong on the inside, the problem of fixing the outside is like putting the cart before the horse - It ain't gonna work! Those lifted breasts will sag again, the altered facial features will eventually wrinkle, and the sedentary lifestyle, that led to the excess weight, will once again cause those unwanted pounds to re-materialize.- and the only things we will have left are all the unresolved reasons that compelled us to seek plastic surgery to begin with.
Of course there are circumstances for which I believe there could be some exceptions to the rule: disfiguring accidents, birth defects, and life saving procedures. Sometimes weight loss surgery falls under the category of a life saving procedure, but wouldn't it be better to seek help before reaching 500lbs?
Through my prayerful journey to understanding my reasons behind wanting to undergo such a drastic measure to lose a few pounds, I was finally able to make heads or tales out of what God's true priorities are for us. Without judging others, I have come to some definite scriptural-based thoughts on cosmetic surgeries. We as Christians should invest time in ourselves and work on improving the person within [our inner man]. Yes God wants us to be clean, tidy, and modestly stylish (1 Timothy 2:9); but the outer appearance is far less important to God than our spirit. Man looks on the outer appearance, but God looks on the 'heart'. The Bible says it best this way" "that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight" (1 peter 3:4).
We have to remember our bodies don't really belong to us but are the temples of God. Whatever choices we make in regards to our bodies, should reflect and distinguish us from the world because we are not to be like them (1 Peter 2:9).
Just remember, true beauty comes from within. When the inside is cleaned up, the beauty just naturally flows to the outside. We may not have the fullest bustlines, or the most defined abs, but that's not what should drive us - righteousness is.
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