Daddy, am I beautiful?

The past two summers, I nannied for my youth minister's girls.  They are now 5 and 7 and I love them more deeply than I could ever express.  Maggie, the 5 year old, and I have always had a unique relationship.  Up until about 4 months ago, Mags was always back and forth on whether or not she liked me.  We're best buds now.  I love every little bit of her.  Maggie's smile has the power to turn my day around no matter what.  

My youth minister has told me this story several times now.  Maggie keeps a cute little a-line stack that's super chic, but can't be put in a ponytail.  She has fabulous hair.  Her hair is super fine, but it gets really static-y, especially in the winter.  One morning she woke up and her hair was crazy as usual.  Her parents were joking about how messy her hair was.  At first she laughed, but then withdrew.  She showed that raw emotion that is only possible with someone her age.  She was immediately scooped up in her mama's arms and everything was made better.  Her hair was tamed and went on with her normal routine.  When her dad dropped her off at preschool, her hair had once again become unruly.  As he was placing her coat and backpack on the hooks, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her doing her best to tame her hair by herself.  He turned to her and Maggie said to him, "Daddy, am I beautiful?"

With a big-daddy bear hug he says, "Maggie, of course you are beautiful."  She had a huge smile across her face and hugged him back.  Her daddy made everything better with a hug and a reassurance that she is the most beautiful girl in the whole world.  

This story breaks my heart every time.  Not only because she didn't think she was beautiful in that moment--but because I know that won't last forever.  My heart aches for the day when her daddy telling her she's beautiful won't work anymore.  I fear the day that she believes she isn't worth anything and couldn't be convinced any differently.  My heart breaks because I know that one day she won't believe the truth.

Isn't that the way our heavenly father feels about us?  I don't know a single woman who doesn't question her beauty and worth.  God wants nothing more than for us to ask him if we are beautiful.  He wants nothing more than to tell us we are beautiful and loved.  It breaks God's heart when we convince ourselves that we are worth less than we think we are.  

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. 

1 Peter 3:3-5