I snapped this photo on a hike with my kids the other day.
It reminded me that true beauty is regally strong. It’s not waifish, and definitely not without its scars. True beauty is tough, stubborn, and persistent. It finds ways to shine no matter where it finds itself. Fragility is dangerous.
Look at the photo. Gorgeous colors, a mini-scape fit for royalty. And its blossoming on a rock. A rock! The lichen grew in the full sun in a dry climate, clutching the face of the cliff with determined fingers, shaking its ruddy fist at the elements. And it absolutely radiates the glory of God.
And the plant. Man, what tenacity! The seed found itself lodged cruelly in a dark crevice, out of reach and out of touch. But out it comes, pressing and craning its way out into the world for us to enjoy.
We need more people like that, more women like that. In our society its becoming increasingly hard for true beauty to survive, never mind shine. We need stubborn girls aflame with the glory of God that will not wade into to the world’s corrupting cesspools, young women who can take a hit and stand tall anyway, true handmaidens of the King of Kings who reflect his image. Even their scars are beautiful.
I’m a guy, and as such I can’t fully understand what it is I’m aiming at in this post, or how hard it would be to live out. But I can’t think of anything this side of heaven that points to Jesus more than what I’m describing. If you’re female, I pray you hear the call.