John Calvin

I think that quite a bit of what our culture is trying to tell us ties back to the way we look. On TV, in magazines, on the radio, in music; aesthetics are very, very important. Most people identify themselves in the way that they look or how people look at them. I like to think that appearance doesn't have a huge impact, but it truly does. Impressions mean everything and unless you talk to and get to know everyone you've ever had contact with, what has been drawn from your appearance is what people think about you. The media tells everybody that they have to be a certain body type and if they aren't then they are not beautiful. There has even been a study that claims that people who are "attractive" are more successful than people who aren't very "attractive." It's terrible that it has such an impact, but it really does affect many aspects of life. The world tries to make us think the same way. It seems as though we've been brain washed by a life of being sold lies. And the truth is, we eat it up. I have personally conformed to the way of this world in this. Not really towards others, but mainly towards myself. I am so critical on myself and on the days I feel ugly, it's bad news. The passage in Philippians really pounds on humility. It's so important for me to understand that the most important thing to do is to love God and to love people. To some extent it matters how people view me, but first and foremost I should be concerned about how God sees me. I should be pleasing him and not other humans. It's more important for me to consider others as better than myself and serve them than it is to boast in my self image and have a hope that they will serve me. Ultimately that's what it boils down to; loving God or wanting others to love you.