The young girl in the check out line, repeatedly glanced at the faces that stared back at her from a magazine rack. Placed right next to the celebrity photos, were a variety of chocolates and high fat sweets. Ironic as it was, I think she missed it. Now, I know we should care about our appearance and health. But honestly, who hasn't felt second best by comparison to false perfection? We look through smoke and mirrors, but still believe it's real.

One of the popular magazines on the display, featured ways to create our own illusions. It listed the most sought after body enhancements for women today. And some of the treatments were even rated appropriate for young girls.

In the book "So Long Insecurity" Beth Moore  points out that..."in all of history we're the first generation to grow up in a media-driven society. We're drowning in unchartered waters and it's time we learn to swim." Moore goes on to consider that although we have many conveniences that our mothers and grandmothers didn't have, media exploitation is something we would be better off without. I agree, "we need to learn to survive the choppy waters of today's media messages, if we're going to make it to shore with our self-esteem intact. We have to wake up to the relentless effect media has on us."

Another magazine placed right next to the one on body enhancement, touted a cover article about a work-out for female celebrities. It's supposedly so simple it can be done with only a floor mat. As usual, it was a celebrity workout that required a lot of time and money spent in a gym. Not to mention the twenty something stars have already had anti-aging face work done.


We should remember that men don't have it easy, either. I recently overheard a conversation by young man in a grocery store that emphasizes this point. He was accompanied by two girls around the age of four or five who were complaining about something.  His response to the problem was emphatic. "Don't complain about being girls. You should enjoy it because girls can have anything they want. Besides, you don't want to be a man. Being a man is really hard!" Although it's not true that we can have anything, we may not always take into account that men experience insecurity and doubt too.

But even so, "Our culture does not hold men to the same standard of youthfulness as women."  Beth Moore  So let's set the bar for our girls by first liking ourselves. Let's teach them God gave us each a real body and that He doesn't create junk! Genuine beauty really is an inside job! Our outside should always reflect our inside, not the other way around. Tall order you say? Maybe. But if we can't walk in our own dignity and self-respect, the young girls who follow us probably won't recognize theirs either.