Friday night. You’re getting together with a group of your friends over the weekend. You’re standing, hands on hips, surveying the clothes in your closet. Five minutes and a thoroughly chewed lip later, you reach in and pull out a skirt and top. This’ll do, you think, and lay it out on your bed. Barely a minute later, you’re back in the closet, waffling between shirts. You finally decide on the blue one, and head to bed, satisfied.

Saturday morning. You’re standing in front of the mirror, face frowning back at you. One hand is on your hip, the other fiddling with your hair. You’ve finally decided on jeans and a cute top (after about a dozen combinations), and now you’re facing the hair problem. You can’t decide whether to wear it in a ponytail, or leave it down.

Sound familiar? Have you ever found yourself in the endless cycle of this or that, pink or red, skirt or jeans? I (Esther) can’t tell you how much I’ve found myself in this same scenario, expending so much time, energy, and tears on my outward appearance. Jeans or shorts? Skirt or capris? Blue top or red top? Ponytail or French braid? The list goes on and on.

I (Ruth) also find myself in this exact situation. Even though I plan my outfit way ahead of time, I always go back and add some last minute touches, usually ending up in a whole different look. As girls, we are our biggest critics. No one else knows our little, secret flaws that we spend so much time trying to cover up... except God. When I am getting ready for school in the mornings, I stand in the front of the mirror criticizing myself. Why? Well, I really think that's just our nature. We are unsatisfied. But guess Who is perfectly satisfied with our appearance? No one but the Creator of the Universe! He wouldn't have spent the time creating us if He was not going to be happy with the outcome. I mean come on, God knows everything, right? So He knew everything about us before He spoke us into being. So in the mornings, when I have only slept for a mere six hours, I look into the mirror and say, "God thinks I am beautiful, and that's all that matters."

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30)

O you of little faith. If Jesus said those words to His disciples, who followed Him everywhere for three years, and listened to every word that fell from His lips, what would He say to me? What would He say to you? Maybe something like, “Why do you spend so much time redoing your make-up?” Or, “You were so worried about what your friends thought of your new dress that you missed the beautiful sunset I painted just for you.” Maybe, “Won’t you listen? Won’t you set aside concerns for your outward beauty just long enough to see that field of wildflowers waving to you? That’s Me! I’m trying to tell you that I love you, that I made you so beautiful that I can’t take My eyes off you. Please let Me in so I can show everyone else how beautiful I’ve made you.”

Well, guess what? That is what He’s saying to you! He may not be whispering those exact words in your ear, but He’s definitely there, knocking on the door to your heart, longing for you to take your eyes off your reflection long enough to read His words, to hear His voice calling to you, asking you to let Him sweep you off your feet and show you the beauty He’s bestowed upon you.

Jesus used the perfect example in Matthew: flowers. Have you ever stopped to look at a field of wildflowers? Or a vase of daisies, or a bouquet of roses? Flowers are some of God’s most beautiful creations. Why else would we take dozens of pictures of them, give them to those we love, and carry them in our weddings? Do you think they spend hours slaving over their appearance, setting the tilt of their petals just so, or the hue of their color that perfect shade of vivid? No! Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, they exist solely because they were created to be beautiful. To bring pleasure to God’s children—to you—and to teach us valuable lessons.