B.E.A.U.T.Y.
Image by Jim Varga via Unsplash
“TOTALLY”
by Karen Bonasso
I have five beautiful daughters. They have very different personalities from each other, and from me and their father. This made for a very lively family environment while they were growing up, and it afforded many opportunities for character development. As a young mother, I prayed daily for the wisdom of Solomon to be able to raise them with the values of and principles in the Bible. As intent as I was on trying to teach them Godly character, I was also intent on nurturing the wonderful personalities their Creator had given them. Our God-given personality is such a fun part of who we are - especially when lived out in the boundaries of our character - and can be treasured as such. It is totally a part of our BEAUTY.
The word totally in our acronym BEAUTY suggests two definitions: a sum - such as things added together to produce a total, and a whole - as in pieces that have come together to produce a total whole.
In our physical body, we are a sum of all our genetic attributes (such as hair, eyes, skin color, and so on) and in our soul we are a sum of our inner attributes ( such as our mind, will, emotions, personality, and conscience). Our body, our soul, and our spirit ( where we can be rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of His beloved Son) make up the total of who we are.
Taking care of our physical body is an important part of being totally us; thus, enabling us to wholly enjoy and share in His life on earth. It is interesting to me that in the Bible God places little emphasis on how we look. In fact, He says in 1 Samuel 16:7 that, “people look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” He alone created us, so it therefore stands to reason that He would be pleased with what we look like. We are, however, encouraged to take care of our bodies in both the Old Testament and in the New Testament writings.
In 3 John 1:2 we read, “Beloved I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” To be totally us, we should also take care to focus on the wellness of our soul. Throughout scripture we can see God attending to people’s emotional well being. He has given us the whole book of Psalms - comprised of songs of emotion that are very healing to read aloud when our soul is hurting. He sends His mercy and grace to help in times of trouble. He also addresses the importance of right and wholesome relationships. Our God is truly a relational God. He is our Heavenly Father, we are His beloved children.
It is truly possible to walk totally into all that God has for us when we choose to be clothed with resurrection power from the Holy Spirit through salvation. (Eph 3:17-20 …Now all glory to God, Who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”) This takes place in our spirit. As we nourish and strengthen our spirit by faith in His Word, our spirit is filled with revelation and understanding. When we choose to live according to the principles and the commands found in the Bible, we can be totally (no limitations!) who we are created to be.
The next definition of total is “whole”: as in pieces that come together to produce a total whole. The Bible says that the Son of God upholds all things by the Word of His power. (Hebrews 1:3) It is His power which guides our life to the total, or “whole”, and it is is power which holds that “whole” together - It is His power which holds the puzzle pieces of our life wholly together. We can be at peace knowing Jesus is the One lovingly carrying and bringing every part of our life toward the completeness of His design. [The Greek meaning for uphold is: to bear, carry (bring) along, to a definite (prescribed) conclusion (defined by the individual context)]
The whole part of Totally involves all the hats we have earnestly and ultimately worn and those we have yet to wear - daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, wife, widow, friend, teacher, mentor, CEO, entrepreneur, minister, pastor, preacher, gardener, baker, caregiver, political representative, fighter pilot, athlete, cheerleader, writer, actress, director, waiter, manager, accountant, doctor, physical therapist, counselor, nurse, singer, dancer, gymnast, artist, student, etc.
The parts of the whole, that make us totally who we are, are comprised of these many and varied seasons in our life. God is with us in all these times. The Bible tells us God has, “ taken account of my wanderings, He has put my tears in His bottle…” (Psalm 56:8) In Psalm 126:5,6 we learn that we can rejoice knowing that, "Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing seed for sowing, will come home with shouts of joy bringing his harvest with him.” The many kinds of seasons and times of our life can give us the perspective needed to be able to serve and love others with compassion and strength.
Let us remember the celebrations and the lessons of these seasons for they are precious in the sight of God. So too should they be precious to us. They make up the beautiful tapestry of our life. A life of being totally - body, soul, and spirit - who God made us to be, full of wonderful personality and unwavering character…a BEAUTY.
by Karen Bonasso
Front blog image by Jeffrey Blum via Unsplash