| man·ne·quin [mánnikin]
(plural man·ne·quins) noun
|
Ella was perhaps the most carefree creature the world had known. She was innocently beautiful, kind, free spirited and hungry for life. She was also naïve, so much that she’d believe everything anyone said to her, assuming that everyone had good intentions and that the world was all beautiful.
So when the younger boys and the older men all started paying her attention at the tender age of 12, telling her how beautiful she was, she believed them all and in a way, she began to anticipate the compliments. Before long, Ella lived for the flattering words and became uncomfortable when they started coming in fewer numbers. She had come to believe that other people’s words validates her and that as the compliments reduced, she had become less beautiful and of less value. In a desperate effort to stay attractive, she turned to outer adornments; clothes and make-up (some she couldn’t afford) to enhance her fading beauty.
In her head, she had a desperate need to stay the same, young and beautiful. And that was all that mattered to her… to be a perfect vision of physical beauty and the object of men’s admiration.
Dear young lady,
Is there an Ella in you? Obsessed with beauty and an overwhelming desire to be perfect on the outside without a care in the world how your insides look. You might want to pause right now and take a few steps back.
The only thing that is good for nothing but a physical show off is a mannequin. Except to be looked at and poked at, it has no value and no internal substance. The mannequin is pulled in whichever direction its handler desires and has no mind of its own. But for what is worn on it, it gets no regard and has no purpose.
You on the other hand are so much more than that. As one made in the image and likeness of God, you are designed by God to fill a void in humanity. You are made to incubate God and value on the inside of you and to pour out the same for the purpose of making the world a better place. You cannot afford to be empty or to limit yourself to what you look like on the outside.
Beauty is a good thing, but in the end, how beautiful you are on the outside is a reflection of how good you feel on the inside. Take charge of your life. Start spending your time doing activities that make you beautiful on the inside. Read books, get wisdom, acquire skills, meditate on positive and beautiful things, dream big dreams and plan to make those dreams a reality. Here are a few things that will help you on your journey;
- Discover who you are:
I’m not referring to your name, what you do or where you come from. Who you are is more than that. The original you is a secret buried deep within you and God. To discover her, you must find your way to God who formed you and ask Him to help you find the compass of your life. Go ahead, He was already waiting for you to ask since the day you were born.
- Have a dream
I know it often appears like a big deal these days when everyone is talking about dreams, visions and purposes…sounds like a lot of English and something far-fetched. But really, your dream is simply what you want to represent in life, and it is only an extension or a bigger picture of what you already love to do. You do not need to see a life coach to have a dream, you simply need to ask yourself, what do I love to do and do so well? How can I use this to help the world around me? If you can answer those questions, you are well on your way.
- Get away from your comfort zone:
Do not sit around waiting for things to happen to you or for your parents to come and hand you your next meal. Go out and find something to do for yourself. Take a few steps towards your dream per time. Research, study, explore and make a commitment to constantly improve yourself. When you are busy chasing purpose and discovering this beautiful world God has made, there’d be no time to sit around and wait for somebody’s approval of you or your appearance.
Young lady, Go out with confidence and take on the world with the authority that God gave man in Genesis 1.
Live inside out, you are not anybody’s mannequin.