Guest Post: Bryanna Vega
Ugly Feet
If you’re like me, you despise at least one of your body parts. You conceal it as best as you can, wish you could somehow, some way, change it. Maybe a nose that is not the right shape, thighs that aren’t firm enough, breasts that are (fill in the blank), a scar or skin blemish. Our world has very narrow standards of beauty. If you cannot relate to this at all, well then, praise God! For me, my least favorite body part is my feet. I do my best to hide them in cute shoes but, seriously, if anyone wants to feel better about their own feet, just take a look at mine (the one with the bunions, hammer toes, and prominent veins)
So, our church adopted the village of Carmonial in the Dominican Republic, located up in the hills near the boarder of Haiti. I have had the amazing opportunity to take several missions trips to the DR, teaching kids in a VBS style summer camp, building latrines, and visiting kids we sponsor and write letters to all year. It really is amazing. One of my favorite things to do is to write songs out of Bible verses in Spanish for the kids. This past year, one of the songs I composed and sang was Isaiah 53:8 “!!Cuán hermosos son sobre los montes los pies del que trae alegres nuevas, del que anuncia la paz, del que trae nuevas del bien, del que publica salvación, del que dice a Sion: !!Tu Dios reina! I composed this song, taught our team the song, taught the kids this song, and sang is dozens of times. I knew this song in English and spanish, by heart. But, it never real
ly hit my heart until our trip was nearly over. Then it suddenly dawned on me that God was talking about MY feet! He was saying my ugly feet were beautiful! Why, because they were bringing the Good News of peace and salvation, over the mountains. Because it was my feet that were walking along the dusty roads of the village of Carmonial, as we sang “God Reigns! God Reigns!”
ly hit my heart until our trip was nearly over. Then it suddenly dawned on me that God was talking about MY feet! He was saying my ugly feet were beautiful! Why, because they were bringing the Good News of peace and salvation, over the mountains. Because it was my feet that were walking along the dusty roads of the village of Carmonial, as we sang “God Reigns! God Reigns!”
My ugly feet were forever redefined by my Lord and Savior. He spoke beauty over my, “ugliest” body part. And isn’t that just what God specializes in? Turning ashes to a crown of beauty (Is. 61:3). Changing our destinies from death to eternal life. Jesus takes our ugliness, our sin, our shame, our pain, our despair upon himself and in turn gives us His beauty, His righteousness, His Spirit, abundant life, and an eternity in His loving presence.* Wow! What a beautiful exchange.
I don’t know about you but, I want my ugliest parts to be redefined. If the God of the Universe says my feet are beautiful, who am I to argue? What parts of you are you willing to let Him redefine? I challenge you to spend time getting to know how God sees you, how much He loves you, and you too will start to see yourself with different eyes. You are, “to die for” beautiful! (Jn.3:16)
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52: 7)
*(Is. 61:1-3; Phil. 3:9; Acts 2:38; Jn. 10:10; Rom. 8:38-39)
Comments
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Lol, but aside from that...what a great post! I remember learning that song and creating hand motions for it with Skip ;) I love feet, and if I saw them I'd probably love yours too, Bryanna. They're one of God's most beautiful creations, imo!