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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Beauty in Being Different



She was different.  She did not conform.  She broke tradition.  Esther was not like any of the candidates who competed for the throne to be queen to King Xerxes.  In a world where excess was equalled to accomplishment, she presented herself as a minimalist.  After a year of beauty treatment, right when it was her turn to be presented to the king, she could have all the jewelry to adorn her.  Instead she relied on her inherent beauty that shows well regardless of treatments or decorations.  The scripture says that Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her and later on captured the heart of the King.   For someone to capture the approval of both the king and the masses,  I can only imagine that she combined superiority and humility in one person. 

In our modern society, superiority are often measured by the things that are visible.  We are carried away by the lie that beauty comes with the cosmetics that we layer on our faces.  We enslave ourselves to the lie that class is synonymous with expensive clothing, that our image is stamped with the insignia on the car we drive.  Furthermore, we believe that we gain the favor of everyone when we are all this made up. 

Real beauty comes from within.  Complexion eventually changes it's name to Wrinkles but the beauty that comes from the heart is forever beautiful and superior in the eyes of God.  Real beauty is clothed in humility while the beauty that fades sports pride.  If you are truly beautiful you proclaim to the rest of the world, "You matter" (instead of "I matter").  Only then will you win the favor of everyone who sees you.  It seems simple but it involves a change of heart.

Esther was different...beautifully different.  She changed the world around her because she was willing to be different.


Video:  Think Different by Apple Computer Inc.

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