Friday, March 13, 2009

His Beauty, My Truth

     It never ceases to amaze me how movies portray a picture of real life truths.   I watched “Penelope” last night.  It’s now on my “all-time favorites list”.


     Penelope was born with a deformity as a result of a family curse.  Her parents confined her to the house to protect her from ridicule.  They believed the only way she would break free from the power of the curse was through marriage to one of her kind, someone of nobility.  They had to find a man who would want her.  Suitors were paraded in while she hid behind a secret window.  Once she revealed herself they would run.


     As the story unfolds, Penelope decides to run away.  She’s done with possible suitors and rejection.  She’s weary of her mother’s attempts to give her the life she’s always wanted for her. On her own, Penelope begins to discover who she is.  She learns to love herself, the curse is broken and her true beauty is restored.  I love the picture this movie gives.


     We all come into this world exposed to the curse of sin, a result of the fall.   While under sin’s influence people do things that hurt us.  We believe things about ourselves that are not true.  The result is, we live without seeing our true, God-given beauty.  

          

     We want desperately to find value.  We want to have some type of beauty and meaning to our lives.   We find ourselves turning to people, things and even good Godly activities, in hopes that the power of our curse will be broken.

 

      I turned to men.  If I could just have a husband then maybe I would feel wanted, loved, accepted.  I dated around until my husband was brought to me.  Pieces of my heart were left scattered.  By the time I married I was a broken woman, looking for someone to remove the curse of rejection.   It wasn’t possible.  No one could give me that.

        

      There was one scene in the movie that really hit me.  One man sees Penelope’s inner beauty, but saw himself as a failure because he could not give her what she wanted.  He says, “I didn’t have the power to break the curse.” 

   

      That was my husband.  No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remove the curse of rejection from me.  He couldn’t give me the value I so longed for.   I almost killed him with my need. Though he tried, my husband could not give me what God asked me to give to myself, His truth of who I am.


     The best line in the movie is, “It’s not the power of the curse, it’s the power you give the curse.”  Sin cursed us.  It tainted our identity.  But the curse was broken.  Jesus broke every one, yet so often we keep them alive.


      We’ve been given the newly transplanted heart of Christ.  Our old man identity has been crucified with Him.  It’s a new day.  We can now choose what we will see and live.  The messages brought to us by our own sins and the sins of others are vanquished.  We have a new lens to see through.  He opens our eyes to His vision.  Will we give a look and see?


       We keep the power of the curse alive when we look through eyes that are not His.  He sees things differently from what we see.  If we saw what He saw, there would be nothing to be insecure about.  If we are going to see Him as He is, then we must see us as we are.  We must see through His eyes and give ourselves what He asks us to give, love and acceptance.


      Penelope broke the power the curse had over her when she accepted herself for who she was.  That’s my story.  No man could give me the value I so desperately wanted.  I received it from God and began to give it to myself.   

      

     Insecurities drop off when we choose to live in the truth of who God says we are.  Sins, mistakes, feelings, do not define us.  God does.   I am not who I thought I was.  I am more, so much more.  So are you.   Penelope had the power to break through and she didn’t know it, the power lay in loving herself.


       It is finished, Jesus said.  All curses are broken.  We are free to live as ones forgiven and loved deeply by our God.  He has loved you.  Will you now love yourself?  


       Reflections:

1.  What do you see?  Whose eyes are you looking through?

2.  What do you say to yourself about you?  Is it what He would say?  If not, then why would you?

3.  Do you ask Him what He sees in you?

      

 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Galatians 5:1b


Also posted at the Internet Cafe


©copyrighted:  2009 Julie L. Todd




16 comments:

Sita said... Reply to comment

Interesting that you should post this...at the suggestion of a friend, I reposted a poem I wrote "Like no other" as God worked through my 'value' with me. I needed to be reminded.
Thank you, Julie, and pray God is ministering to you in graceful and gentle ways...
Love, Sita

Kari Dana said... Reply to comment

I just LOVE this post! I feel like God has been working in this area for me for the past few years (probably much longer. . .I have only opened my eyes in the past few years!).

I want to see that movie! Sounds wonderful.

Kimberly said... Reply to comment

Hi, sweet Julie!
Thank you so much for your comment over at my place!

This post truly does resonate so much with what God is teaching me in my life right now...how He is helping me to see myself through His eyes instead of through a bunch of lies. I have been giving power to the curse.

This week has been such a sweet week for me with Him. It's like I can feel some of the lies just sliding right off of me...freeing me up to rejoice in His love for me. :)

Thanks so much for always sharing your heart so openly.
You are a blessing.

Love and prayers,
K

Karen said... Reply to comment

I have never seen that movie but will definitely plan to now!

I loved what you said about "I am not who I thought I was." You are echoing my thoughts, dear sister! Thank you for these anointed words for today....

Crown of Beauty said... Reply to comment

I will go to the DVD store to look for that movie Penelope. Your post makes me want to watch it tonight! Thank you for sharing so honestly, once again! Your real life story shows that God does rebuild what Satan destroys... and that somehow we are all fellow sojourners heading toward the same destination. It is a joy to hear our individual life stories and find many variations on the same theme!

Carmen said... Reply to comment

What a great post! I just hopped over here from 2nd Cup of Coffee and came across your post. I watched this movie a while back and I love the parallels you drew. Thanks for the reminder that the curse is broken through Jesus. It's so easy to forget that when we look through our own eyes!

Paula said... Reply to comment

This has been a topic of conversation for me for the last couple of weeks...feeling loved as Jesus loves me. A wonderful post Julie, and thank you so much for it. I am going to meditate on it and find some answers to the questions you raised. I long to break free from my curse, so thank you again. Much love, Paula

LauraLee Shaw said... Reply to comment

Julie, this is so beautiful and encouraging. I appreciate your authenticity.

We’ve been given the newly transplanted heart of Christ. Our old man identity has been crucified with Him. It’s a new day. We can now choose what we will see and live.

Amen, sister.

Anonymous said... Reply to comment

Julie, it has been so beautiful 'meeting' with you this morning. I have really been touched by your posts, your honesty is refreshing and inspiring and I have been blessed... Thank you!

Your Dad's passing is so sad. I pray that you will continue to be comforted by the Comforter and know His peace.

This particular post has been a real gem for me... I'd like to see the movie, too.

Seventeen years of home-schooling! Such a wonderful achievement, with many more years of achieving by the looks of those gorgeous faces! Your children are beautiful!!! I have a Samuel, but if I had my way, he would have been Josiah! (I had gone out with a 'Samuel' for years before I married and at first the name didn't sit that well with me, although I loved it - just the memories...) My Elijah named his brother, as though he knew who he was from the very moment of conception! I didn't even know I was having another boy, when from the back of the car a four year old voice said, "Mum, when you have my baby brother, we will call him Samuel!" And for him, that was it! If I was to be blessed with another boy (!!!) he would be Josiah...

Well, haven't I prattled on!;) I hope you are enjoying the weekend. Thank you for stopping by my blog, and I look forward to getting to know you more.

Blessings! Naomi

Lindsey @ A New Life said... Reply to comment

Thank you for the reminder about who's eyes to look through. Am really struggling with my perception of myself because of some harsh words someone used towards me and need to remember that God knows my heart and knows my purity- it doesn't matter what others say as long as I have done everything I can to please and honor Him.

Anonymous said... Reply to comment

Julie,

You bless my life SO much with your gift of writing. It's wonderful to read words of another...describing precisely what God has done in my life.

It is pure JOY seeing myself through His eyes!

Thanking God for you!!
Amy

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said... Reply to comment

Oh Julie! This was an important one for me to read...so touching and beautiful (I actually have this movie in my netflick cue). So much beautiful beautiful truth.

Miss G said... Reply to comment

Julie, thank you for sharing about this movie. I would like to find it and watch it. Thank you so much. Kelly

Joy Junktion said... Reply to comment

I pray that today - I am looking into and through the eyes of Jesus -

I've never seen the movie - maybe I'll need to find it.

Blessings to you,
Cindy

Tea with Tiffany said... Reply to comment

I loved, loved this. I believe, Lord, help me with my unbelief.

:)

Keep writing your heart. I find your words so refreshing and encouraging. Life giving!

Love you,
T

Jennsmere said... Reply to comment

Thanks for this wonderful post, Julie! So many of us struggle with the 'lies' of the enemy.

Can't wait to see Penelope!

Bless you,
Susan