The Imitation Game: A Lesson In Respecting Yourself
Have you ever seen Penelope?
If not, let me summarize it for you.
An affluent family is cursed, a girl is stuck with the face of a pig, and only some kind of "true love" will save her and lift the curse.
Predictably, this doesn't work (shocking, I know). Instead, Penelope (pig-faced girl) takes advantage of the situation, ventures out into the world that she had been barred from, and surprisingly finds some acceptance.
Spoiler alert: Do you want to know how the curse actually gets lifted? My favorite line from the movie ensues, as Penelope, arguing that she doesn't need a man, or a normal face, to live happily, yells, "I like myself the way that I am!"
Culturally, this is the message that is preached to us over and over again, from JCPenney commercials, to political platforms.
I thought that I was quite grown and mature from where I had been even a mere year ago. I still believe that I have grown and matured, but recently I came face to face with my greatness weakness...
After all of these years of growth, years of trying to stay in other peoples' good graces, years of trying to impress my family, friends, colleges, employers, I still have fallen into this trap of a lack of self-respect.
The clothes that we wear, the way that we act, how we speak, what we eat, who we socialize with, what we do for a living, all of these things have fallen into the dangerous territory of comparison.
She goes to the gym six times a week?! I haven't been in a month...
He makes thousands more than I do at his job. I'll never make that much...
He speaks with such confidence.
She is always socializing (according to Snapchat).
They seem so perfect.
What's wrong with me?
I have been told at times that I am a free-thinker and that I do not let the opinions of others bog me down as others do, but I still continue to fight and struggle to remain that way.
I'm not as quick-witted as her. I should just shut up.
They look like they're always on some exciting adventure, while I'm just sitting here.
He wants her over me, because I am not good enough.
I can't reveal too much. What if they saw who I really was? They'd hate me.
The worst part is, when we allow ourselves to partake in this line of thinking, we often begin to belittle others and their traits in order to make ourselves feel less vulnerable. We put them down, we call them fake, we say and think all sorts of nasty things in order to placate our own insecurities.
He wants to be with us, through the good days and the bad. On the days where we are vivacious and the life of the party, and on days where we sit alone in a corner. On days where we feel like we're the kings and queens of the world and we could move mountains, and on the days where we feel as weak and insignificant as an insect.
But too often we are afraid to admit this, to say in love and honesty that we are feeling alone, that we are struggling, that we are afraid, because no one else seems to be feeling that way.
I must be a terrible Christ follower if this is what I feel. He/she never seems down; he/she is always joyful because of God (at least according to Instagram).
I am such a terrible example.
STOP PUTTING THIS FALSE PRESSURE ON YOURSELF!
In Romans 3:23 (NIV), Paul writes, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."
You may feel vulnerable at the time, but better to be vulnerable together than to be calm and collected alone.
Lord, thank you for everything that you see in me that I cannot see in myself. Help me to love and accept myself the way that you have loved and accepted me. Help me to see myself and others through Your eyes, rather than my own critical ones. Thank you for giving me the gift of living and for creating me specially with a purpose and place in your heart. I want to serve You and Your purposes alone, not conforming to this world as it says in Romans, but allowing myself to be transformed for Your glory.
Not my will, but yours be done.
Amen.
If not, let me summarize it for you.
An affluent family is cursed, a girl is stuck with the face of a pig, and only some kind of "true love" will save her and lift the curse.
Predictably, this doesn't work (shocking, I know). Instead, Penelope (pig-faced girl) takes advantage of the situation, ventures out into the world that she had been barred from, and surprisingly finds some acceptance.
Spoiler alert: Do you want to know how the curse actually gets lifted? My favorite line from the movie ensues, as Penelope, arguing that she doesn't need a man, or a normal face, to live happily, yells, "I like myself the way that I am!"
Culturally, this is the message that is preached to us over and over again, from JCPenney commercials, to political platforms.
But, we are definitely not practicing what we preach.
I thought that I was quite grown and mature from where I had been even a mere year ago. I still believe that I have grown and matured, but recently I came face to face with my greatness weakness...
I don't always like myself the way that I am.
After all of these years of growth, years of trying to stay in other peoples' good graces, years of trying to impress my family, friends, colleges, employers, I still have fallen into this trap of a lack of self-respect.
It's a trap that we've all fallen into at some point or another-- the trap of comparison.
She goes to the gym six times a week?! I haven't been in a month...
He makes thousands more than I do at his job. I'll never make that much...
He speaks with such confidence.
She is always socializing (according to Snapchat).
They seem so perfect.
What's wrong with me?
I have been told at times that I am a free-thinker and that I do not let the opinions of others bog me down as others do, but I still continue to fight and struggle to remain that way.
I'm not as quick-witted as her. I should just shut up.
They look like they're always on some exciting adventure, while I'm just sitting here.
He wants her over me, because I am not good enough.
I can't reveal too much. What if they saw who I really was? They'd hate me.
But, none of this is the truth.
The worst part is, when we allow ourselves to partake in this line of thinking, we often begin to belittle others and their traits in order to make ourselves feel less vulnerable. We put them down, we call them fake, we say and think all sorts of nasty things in order to placate our own insecurities.
Our shame, our sense of (false) rejection, is not only separating us from those who love us and do want to be around us, but from God Himself.
He wants to be with us, through the good days and the bad. On the days where we are vivacious and the life of the party, and on days where we sit alone in a corner. On days where we feel like we're the kings and queens of the world and we could move mountains, and on the days where we feel as weak and insignificant as an insect.
But too often we are afraid to admit this, to say in love and honesty that we are feeling alone, that we are struggling, that we are afraid, because no one else seems to be feeling that way.
I must be a terrible Christ follower if this is what I feel. He/she never seems down; he/she is always joyful because of God (at least according to Instagram).
I am such a terrible example.
STOP PUTTING THIS FALSE PRESSURE ON YOURSELF!
In Romans 3:23 (NIV), Paul writes, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."
Do you truly believe that the people whom you're surrounded by
are that much better than you, have their lives that much closer to perfection
than you, that God loves them more than you?
You were created in the image of God Almighty! How much more
awesome can you get?
But, that doesn't just automatically stop this thinking process.
The way to have victory over this monster is simple.
Tell yourself the truth.
1. There's a difference between self-respect and selfishness.
In the book, Telling Yourself the Truth, William Backus writes "The person who truly respects himself is genuinely
interested in others, giving of himself without fear (110)..."
Respecting yourself and who you are as an individual does not
mean that you have to force your opinions and decisions on others. Not everyone
is like you, just as you are not like everyone else. Psalm
139:14 speaks to us about how God created us as individuals,
and as these unique individuals, we are "fearfully and wonderfully
made."
Don't demean His craftsmanship by putting down another one of
His creations. If you wouldn't want something said of you, then don't say it
about another.
2. I do not live for the approval/acceptance of others.
Galatians 1:10- "Am I saying this now to
win the approval of people or God? Am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to
please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.
We are not called to live for the approval and praise of
other people, difficult as that may seem to walk out.
We are called to live for the One who created us, for the One
who loves us unconditionally.
We are constantly going to be disappointed in people, and
they in turn will be disappointed by us. God is the only one with a perfect
track record, so if our fears and flaws rest with Him, and not others, He will never disappoint
us.
3. Don't try to go through it alone.
God created us to be with other people, to grow and have
relationship with those around us. Perhaps the things that you are going
through and dealing with are issues that someone else is struggling with as
well. Talk to each other. Be open about your thoughts.
You may feel vulnerable at the time, but better to be vulnerable together than to be calm and collected alone.
Our Heavenly Father loves and accepts us anyway, flaws and
all. If you live for His approval, you will never be rejected.
That is why my prayer today is this:
That is why my prayer today is this:
Lord, thank you for everything that you see in me that I cannot see in myself. Help me to love and accept myself the way that you have loved and accepted me. Help me to see myself and others through Your eyes, rather than my own critical ones. Thank you for giving me the gift of living and for creating me specially with a purpose and place in your heart. I want to serve You and Your purposes alone, not conforming to this world as it says in Romans, but allowing myself to be transformed for Your glory.
Not my will, but yours be done.
Amen.
So well said and so helpful!
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