10 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 2: Identity and (Im)perfection

Today is brought to you by the song "All About That Bass."

That's the song that my 5 year old was attempting to sing when she got home from school.  I'm pretty sure she's only heard another 5 year old's rendition of the song and doesn't know anything about men's preferences for booty sizes as told by Meghan Trainor, because it sounded more like "All about lkjashdflwliuebfbets."  It honestly took me a few rounds of her singing it before I figured out what it actually was.  

Which then got the song stuck in my head and I started singing it. 

I got to the line that says "Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top."

And it got me thinking.  Why as a culture do we have this obsession with perfection?

First, main stream media pushes the image of the "perfect" woman.  Then, as a backlash, everyone starts saying that everything is perfect.  Whatever you are is perfect.  I agree that we should be thankful for what we have, but...perfect?  

I think the reason that this mantra doesn't work is because we all KNOW we're not perfect.  No matter how good we are, we all fail and fall short in some way or another.  What's even worse?  What one person deems to be awesome, another deems a shortcoming.  It's exhausting. 

If we gauge our self worth and validation by what other people think of us - how many likes we get on that photo, how many people follow our blogs - of COURSE we're going to be let down.  We've allowed other people - flawed, capricious, and sometimes downright cruel people - to determine our value.  That's terrifying to me.

I don't want my daughters to fall prey to this mentality.  The Good Lord knows that I've spent most of my life as a victim to this.  

So today, instead of focusing on what the world thinks, I'm thanking my God for how HE views me. 

1 Peter 2:9New International Version (NIV)

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

1 Peter 1

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

John 1:12New International Version (NIV)

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

CHOSEN. REDEEMED. CHILD.  That's who I am.

Thank you, Jesus, for your wonderful blessing of identity.