Uncovered

I’m off to the lower mainland for the weekend, but just remembered I’d better post before I go!

So here are some rambly thoughts for a Friday!

So, let’s talk about makeup. I read an article a while back on how giving up wearing makeup can be a spiritual discipline. I think it’s all about allowing people to see us as we actually are, and embracing how God created us.

I remember about 5 years ago, I challenged  readers to take a picture of themselves without any makeup and post it on their blog and share the link. Only ONE person agreed to do  followed through in posting it, and she was about 20 years old and very pretty (by our cultural standards), anyway.

Why are we afraid to show the world what we really look like? Especially, as our body starts collecting wrinkles and age spots.Well, maybe not all of us have this issue. But this even relates to the time we spend looking for that ‘perfect’ pair of jeans or sweater. Or it may even go further than that..

Harris described other forms of makeup that we wear to hide our true selves, singling out “false expressions” as especially prevalent. Harris noted the wide array of expressions women don, masks “of peaceful disagreement when we are in raging disagreement; of pleasure when we are actually disgusted; of distaste when we are actually delighted; of human when we are actually repelled; of understanding when we are actually baffled” (16). Our desire to please others can be so powerful that we frequently hide our true selves behind symbolic makeup, instead of embracing the person God created each of us to be.

(from http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2011/02/why_i_dont_wear_makeup.html)

Anyway, living life sans makeup might be very difficult for some. But I don’t really think we can judge a person by her ‘cover’. Just because she doesn’t wear makeup, doesn’t mean she’s more spiritual and if she DOES, it doesn’t mean she’s spiritually lacking. Maybe it’s just about insecurity. Or perhaps just a preference. I think there may be something more to it than that, though. It can be complicated.

Personally, I wear less makeup than I used to, probably due to sheer laziness, though, not for any spiritual reasons (that I know of). Sometimes I really don’t care how people see me. But more often than not, I do wear mascara and a bit of lipstick, if I’m heading out.

I guess I don’t ALWAYS want others to see me as I actually am!