Armed with a screwdriver, nine screws, and three, shiny new door hinges, I set out to rehang my bedroom door. After about 45 minutes of intense effort, I stepped back to proudly survey my work. That’s when my heart dropped. I’ve never seen a door quite that crooked…except perhaps in Dr. Seuss books.
What went wrong? Well, the screwdriver. Obviously the door is crooked because of the screwdriver.
If you know me at all, you probably have already guessed that I didn’t really try to rehang my bedroom door (although if I had, the result probably would have been the same). Though I gave a fictitious illustration, the point rings true. It never makes sense to blame a tool; the fault always lies with the person wielding the tool.
I just watched Colbie Caillat’s new music video, “Try.” Guess what, I loved it! The message is about the expectations “they” place on girls and women, what “they” say we need to do to be accepted. But, “You don't have to try so hard,” she sings, “you don't have to give it all away.” She encouraged girls not to bend until they break, to take their make-up off, and to let their hair down. To show she practices what she preaches, *ahem* sings, Colbie performs the final moments of the video with no makeup on. No airbrushing. No hair extensions.
What is the message that people get from this video? That the culture has been oppressing women long enough with their standard of beauty? That God created everyone beautiful in their own way?
Well, not exactly.
“Colbie Caillat Fires Back At Photoshop” headlines read. “Colbie Caillat Rallies Against Photoshop In 'Try' Music Video." I just have to shake my head in amazement. Did the people writing these articles and headlines ever bother to notice that Colbie never once mentions Photoshop in her song? Her lyrics pointedly talk about the culture we live in. She rallies not against the tool, but against those wielding it.
It turns out that this song reminded me of a verse or two in the Bible (surprise, surprise). Peter advices women, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful.” (1 Peter 3:3-5)
My take-away from this verse is that, not only should we not give into the pressure of the world around us to starve ourselves, slather on make-up, and buy tons of jewelry to look beautiful; we shouldn’t be concerned with outward beauty at all. Beauty, after all, fades. A gentle and quite spirit is where true, inward beauty lies.
And do you know what? What’s on the inside can’t help but show on the outside.
