By Jade Whitehurst
“What makes you pretty?”
It’s a question I began asking my 4-year-old daughter a year ago as I brushed her hair in front of the mirror. It was a question loaded with intentionality as I delightfully watched her gleaming over the sparkly new dress she was wearing. You could tell she felt pretty, because she indeed was and most definitely is. But in that moment, I knew I had to remind her: Her dress and her pretty curly hair can make her feel pretty, but our true beauty comes from within, and it is one that is rooted in our identity in Christ!
Since then, we have created a dialogue we recite back and forth to each other that helps remind her where true beauty comes from. Our dialogue goes something like this:
Me: “What makes you pretty?”
Daughter: “My heart!”
Me: “And pretty hearts are?”
Daughter: “KIND HEARTS!”
Me: “And kind hearts love who?”
Daughter: “JESUS!”
But that reminder isn’t just for my 4-year-old little girl. It’s also for you and for me. It’s for the one who walks by the mirror and criticizes herself, or the one who refuses to be in pictures because of the shame they feel in seeing themselves, or the one who gets tangled up in the hottest new wardrobe trends like it’s their full-time job. The goal is to understand our identity – without getting trapped in vanity – and that starts with understanding truth. Our worth was settled at the cross, and not in the mirror.
Yes, I find it important to care for our bodies and steward them well; however, identity is received, not achieved!
The world says:
- Look better.
- Do more.
- Be impressive.
- Earn validation.
But scripture says:
- You are chosen.
- You are redeemed.
- You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
- You are loved.
- You are enough in Christ Jesus our Lord!
When held in their rightful place, health and fitness can be acts of worship toward God. Our body is not an idol to worship but a temple to steward for the Lord! The difference is our heart posture.
Lastly, confidence in Christ is quiet but unshakeable. Where vanity needs constant reassurance, identity in Christ produces steady confidence. We operate from a source of knowing we can improve our body without obsessing over it. We can desire progress without attaching our worth to it, because our value doesn’t fluctuate with the number on the scale. We know that Jesus calls us by NAME – not by size, weight, or aesthetic.
Therefore, the next time you walk past a mirror and feel the urge to criticize your appearance or feel pressured to find your identity in sparkly dresses and fleeting beauty, remember Whose you are and that your identity is secure, steady, and unchangeable in Christ Jesus. That is what makes you “pretty.”
Jade Whitehurst is a wife, mom, and certified Pilates instructor who focuses on faith-driven fitness. For more encouragement in your faith, fitness, and health goals, follow her on Instagram @pulsepilateswithjade.