Once again, inspiration struck from a movie. I watched a film entitled Funny Girl starring Barbara Streisand. It’s the story of a small town girl with big dreams of becoming a Broadway star. Despite the comedic elements, there were two central themes worth discussing. I believe there are still remnants of these themes in our current culture.
Fanny Brice believed that she was ugly. From the beginning of the movie, she was depicted as different from other girls. She danced awkwardly on her “skinny legs”. She was constantly rejected at auditions. Even her mother and aunts teased her looks, stating that she’d never make it in showbiz. This belief was so ingrained in her mind, Fanny doubted herself. When she finally became successful in acting, she would resort to comedy. She poked fun at herself in order to be part of the joke and not the butt of it. She never felt worthy of her success.
Then, Fanny met a guy who was in her words “gorgeous”. Nicky was everything that Fanny believed she lacked. He was worldly, attractive, and rich. When he showed interest, she made jokes to hide her insecurity. How could a guy like that love a girl like her? Several red flags surrounding Nick became evident throughout the film. Unfortunately, Fanny seemed oblivious to them all. Being with him made her feel beautiful. Marrying him took away the stigma of being single. He gave her life value.
Though parts of the movie were comical, it pointed to similar aspects in our culture. How often are we told that our worth is measured in our appearance? There is pressure to compete with air brushed or filtered images on social media. We live in a society that celebrates marriage and relationships. Couples rush into marriage to avoid being alone. Social events, clubs, and even churches cater to families and couples. Singleness is viewed as a disease and marriage the allusive treatment.
So, how do we combat the beliefs that society tries to impose on us? The answer is always found in Jesus. He can uproot foundational lies instilled in us at a young age. By digging into the Word, we discover who we are in Him. He says that we are lovely. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. The Creator of the universe was intentional in fashioning every part of you. He cares about every detail of your life. You are not forgotten or less than. You are His! Now, it’s one thing to have knowledge of these truths. But in order to survive in a culture constantly trying to force its beliefs on us, we must continually meditate on His word. May I encourage you to find scriptures that speak to who you are in Christ. Memorize them. Stick them on your mirror or fridge. That way His truth will be established in your hearts. It will drown out the noise of all other voices. Your worth will be secured in Him.
Be encouraged!!! :)
written by Christa Martina
FB page: See Martina Write
**I do NOT own rights to this photo. Credit for photo and story line goes to Columbia Pictures and Isobel Lennart. **
Scripture References: Song of Solomon 4:7 (NLT) “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.”
Psalms 139: 13-14 (NLT) “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”
Isaiah 43:1 (ESV) “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’”
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