Unattractive
Society plays a big part in setting standards. The general population places values and worth on people, places, standards, and items. For example as a society, we make and break the careers of famous people by being attracted to them and what they are doing, and then support them because they appeal to us. A certain manufacturer may put out a line of clothing that is marketed well and we buy it because it is the new trend and it may make us look good. That sports car commercial shows how attractive the driver is to people around him because he has that vehicle, so we run out and purchase it. Everyone wants to be attractive to someone else, whether it's a friend, a spouse or someone of interest. People have a need to feel wanted, accepted and to eventually attached to a group or an individual that makes them feel accepted and attractive.
One of the hardest things in life is to deal with is a feeling of rejection and being made to feel unattractive. Perhaps you have been friends with someone for a long time and you feel like there is an attraction. You build up the courage to ask this friend out, in hopes of moving further in the relationship, then they tell you that you're not liked like that. Consider a woman who's been married for years, who's husband never has a kind word to say. No matter what she does, or how hard she tries to please him, he is not happy. This leaves the woman feeling unattractive. I was talking to a man the other day who after years of marriage, was told by his wife that she was not attracted to him any more. The man was devastated, for he thought he was being a good husband, and certainly, he was attracted to her. How does one cope with such hurt?
I find in Isaiah chapter 53, that the scriptures say:
"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem."
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem."
Despite the fact that this is how we perceived our Lord and savior, He still went through with the plan of salvation. Continuing in Isaiah 53:
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Jesus went through all this suffering so we wouldn't have to. So we can lay down all of our hurts at the foot of the cross. We can turn to Him because He already took that unattractiveness upon the cross and gave us "beauty for ashes."
He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. He wants to show you perfect love. He will never leave you or forsake you. And most definitely, He will never make you feel unattractive.
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