By Cynthia Cummings-Walker

My 11-year-old granddaughter was given some coins for a game she won.  As she looked at the quarters she realized that one was very different from the others.  The face of the quarter depicted George Washington, as usual, yet the back looked unique. 

My granddaughter decided to do some research on Coin websites.  She discovered that quarters, like the one she had, could be worth as much as $1,000.00.  However, the valuable quarter had to have a specific defect which would make it valuable. 

My granddaughter’s coin was perfectly shiny but did not have a flaw.  Therefore, it was only worth the 25 cents that average quarters are valued. A coin having a specific defect is what makes it so valuable.  It had to be imperfectly perfect.

The Illusion of Perfection

In today’s society, perfection appears to be the goal as a mark of achievement or value.  Men and women will have all kinds of cosmetic procedures performed in order to have the perfect face and body.   Some have died or are disfigured as a result of underqualified, or unqualified surgeons.

Celebrities themselves have admitted that they don’t really look like their professional photos.  Makeup, lighting, editing, and filters create the mirage of beautiful, perfect, beings. It is all a façade. If actors and models were so perfect there would be no need for the entertainment industry to use extras like body doubles, and hand models.

The Value of Imperfection

Years ago there was a mold that all models had to fit into. They had to be extremely thin and as perfect looking as possible.  Sometime later,  women came along who refused to change what seemed to be imperfections so that they could become top models. 

Cindy Crawford refused to have her facial mole removed.  Margot Hemmingway refused to have the gap in her teeth corrected.  Those imperfections are what caused them to stand out in the industry and they became supermodels.

Today, the standards in the entertainment industry have changed because those who do not fit into a “model mold” are the ones sought after.  There are prominent celebrities and models who would not have had a chance in the past.

Nowadays models can have vitiligo, facial scars, a missing limb, ambulism and all kinds of physical differences that make them interesting and different.  People today want uniqueness, not uniformity.

 Who Are you Trying to Please?

So many people are discontented with their physical appearance.  If their hair is curly, they want it straight.  If their skin color is dark they want to lighten it.  If their skin color is light they want to darken it.  Some want medical procedures to shrink an area, while others want medical procedures to enlarge something.

I am certainly not attempting to judge how people feel about themselves.  My concern is for those who are preoccupied with physical perfection as though it is the gateway to success and happiness.

Plenty of people who look perfect in face and body have turned to illegal drugs or even suicide because they are so unhappy. Their inner self is not in alignment with their outward appearance. 

Many people will invest all kinds of money in how they look and what they wear yet are bankrupt in terms of cultivating an inner beauty. 

“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,….which is so precious to God.” 1 Peter 3:3–4 (NLT)

Cultivating inner beauty, integrity and character will take a person much further in life than a pretty face with a nasty attitude. “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.”  Proverbs 11:22 (NASB)

 Embrace being Perfectly Imperfect

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;…”  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  God blessed them;…” Genesis 1:26–28a (NASB)

Everything and everyone God created is perfect because we are created in His image and likeness regardless of any “imperfections” we may see in ourselves or others.

I do not believe that God created anyone “ugly”. As the saying goes: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Standards of beauty are generally determined within ethnicities, cultures, or society; all designed and created by God.   

People can reject someone based on their own personal reasons or prejudices, yet no one can stop God’s plan for your life.  Embrace who you are because you know whose you are. Do the best you can with what you have to work with. Improve what you can and embrace the rest.

Investing time in developing and maintaining a close relationship with the Lord has earthy benefits and eternal rewards.  When you trust God by believing what He says in His word, the Bible, your life will be filled with thanksgiving, praise, and gratitude for the life He has given you, imperfections, and all.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5–6 (NASB)

Question for Reflection:  Have you ever considered this?:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NASB)

Believe.  Pray.  Read the Bible.  Trust.  Obey