Of the hundred odd people at the departure gate not one of them was outstanding or remarkable. They were all just ordinary folk. They were wearing ordinary clothes.... nearly all in jeans or chinos. A couple of young women in skirts and boots. But mostly wrapped up for the winter weather and for travelling in dark, nondescript outfits. Nobody had a fancy hairdo and most people looked a bit ' thrown together' and travel weary already, Eight people were reading books. Which surprised me a bit. Only one of the eight was reading on a kindle - the rest were thumbing the pages of real paper. Probably about a third of the travellers were playing with their phones. The rest were either chatting to each other or just standing patiently waiting for something to happen.
We are good at waiting. We are good at being herded into spaces and lines and queues and being mannerly and ordered. I like that about us Brits. You know where you are with a waiting room full of us lot.
As I was watching the people this afternoon the thought that came to me was - who are the designers selling to? Where are the beautiful people..... the ones who spend £300 on a haircut or £50 a week getting their nails done?? Where are the latest designs being worn and seen because its certainly not at gate 17 Belfast International Airport. Maybe those people don't travel Easyjet ! Or maybe, just maybe, they dont actually exist.
Yesterday I was pondering temptation. How easily we fall prey to it. And one of the great temptations of the modern age is for us to constantly compare ourselves with others. Are we matching up? Do we fit in? Do we stand out? Are we fit/tanned/buff/clever/ pretty/ beardy/ slim/trendy enough? Its ridiculous. And we know it is. But so many of us can't help but compare ourselves with others and imagine that we fall short. But look round the airport lounge - the shopping center - your school or church or gym. The world is full of average looking, averagely intelligent, averagely dressed, styled ,coiffed people. And do you know what? Most of those people are really really nice.
We waste such a phenomenal amount of time, effort and money in trying to compete when all along God just wants us to be happy in our own skin. He didnt make me Kate Middleton or Beyonce or Mother Theresa. He made me Caz. With slightly annoying hair and not perfect teeth. But gorgeous nonetheless. Because He says so! And if I want to work on becoming even more gorgeous then I dont need to tone and trim and spry tan and fake nail. I need to work on this...
but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. ( 1 Peter 3:4)
It's our hearts which make us beautiful. Our insides not our outsides. Today I shall be remembering my friend Angie Townsend as she is buried, having gone to be with Jesus a few days ago. She was a beautiful person. She had a big and beautiful heart. And what was on her inside made her outside beautiful too - her cheeky grin and warm twinkle exuded joy and hope and peace. This is the ' ordinary beauty' we can all achieve at no expense save investing our all in the love of God.
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