QUIT THE COMPARISON GAME. KNOW YOUR WORTH.
WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR VALUE?
Our contemporary culture tells us that our value is defined by our job, university qualification, Instagram follower count, likes, comments and tweets, relationship status, hobbies and talents. And with social media accessible at the tip of our fingers, all day long, we’re constantly bombarded with this warped reality. We mindlessly scroll through image after image after image of cute couples with ‘picture-perfect’ relationships, perfectly-positioned flat lays, flawless selfies, fitspo and abs galore, the perfect corporate get up, mouthwatering food and long luncheons with ‘the girls’, and breathtaking shots of travel adventures to the far corners of the earth. Now there’s nothing inherently wrong with these images – they can be creative, aesthetically pleasing and even inspirational, at times.
But if we’re honest with ourselves, so often when we look, we compare. It truly breaks my heart to see women crippled by the comparison game. It also breaks my heart to see women so hungry for approval – just scroll through your Instagram feed, it’s not hard to find these types of posts. We’re immersed in a culture where posting a near-naked photo of yourself to Instagram is celebrated in the form of likes, shares and comments – ‘You’re so hot’, ‘babe’, ‘I wish I looked like you’, ‘#goals’. And culture tells us, if the models are doing it, we should as well.
The examples that these ‘influencers’ set filters down and it shapes culture! So many young women and teenagers follow the examples set by these influencers – they post revealing pictures of themselves in provocative poses, and share every single intimate detail of their lives. And if they’re not over sharing, they’re comparing themselves over and over and over again. If we’re honest with ourselves, none of us are immune to this ‘influencer’ culture. If you haven’t actually posted a ‘sexy’ pic of yourself, then I’m sure you’ve scrolled, compared yourself and felt like you’ve fallen short – I know I’ve felt that way before.
You see, we so easily fall into this trap of believing that the pictures we post determine our worth, and that if they don’t look like ‘that girl’ then we’re simply not good enough – we’d better try harder: touch up our makeup, lose weight, change the way they dress – the list goes on, all the while our sense of value crumbles.
But lovely girl, do you know just how valuable you are?
I want to encourage you to stop looking to these vain metrics to find your value – you're far more precious than they could ever reveal. The truth is that you don't have to do anything to earn your value.
SIMPLY PUT: YOU ARE OF IMMEASURABLE JUST BECAUSE OF WHOSE YOU ARE.
You’re one in 7.125 billion and yet there’s no one like you.
God has created your unique self, so embrace who you are - your quirks, your smile, your point of difference.
Turn your eyes away from that girl’s body, relationship, Instagram account, outfit, university degree, career pursuit, and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus – let Him remind you that you are infinitely valued beyond price.
I see a movement of young women who know their worth – this is the underlying message of my blog, She is Light. It’s simple: No matter what your occupation, relationship status, beliefs, qualifications, Instagram follower count, body shape, hair colour, hobbies, habits, struggles, interests, (you name it) – you're valued.
But the message doesn’t stop there. The vision for She is Light is shaped by Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG version), which mentions how we are “here to be light, bringing out the God colours in the world”.
I believe that when we understand our worth; we can be a light for others and show them their worth in Christ, too.
My hope is that She is Light will be a space where women, like you and I, can be inspired and then inspire others. So, ladies, let’s quit the comparison game, let’s begin to understand our worth in Christ, and let’s be light in a world filled with so much darkness.
Written by my gorgeous friend Elise Hodge
Elise is the founder of She is Light – a global movement of women who know their worth. When she's not pouring her heart into everything She is Light, you can find her churning out content for the PR firm she works at full time, spending time with her hilarious, sweet & handsome husband, sipping cups of peppermint tea, or hanging around the closest dog park (longing for a long-haired mini dachshund to call her own!).
Follow She is Light on:
Instagram: @sheislight
Snapchat: sheislight
Facebook: SHE IS LIGHT
Twitter: @sheislight_blog
