"AS A MAN THINKETH"
(Self Esteem)
By Evangelist Diana Gray
Copyrighted (c) 2000, 2001,2002, All Rights Reserved
 KJV Bible For All Scripture

    Proverbs 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
    Proverbs 23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. 

     My husband Mike asked me a very profound question, "Does a person look the way they do because they were born that way or do they look the way they do because of the way they think?"  Good question and the answer can be very enlightening. 
        Some time ago I had major facial reconstructive surgery.  The surgeon basically cut the bones in my face to alter my bone structure.  I didn't do it because of trying to make myself look good,  but because there was a medical problem with eating coming from  jaw joint pain.   There was a problem with the joints and it had been decided that this was the best way to fix the problem.  After the surgery, I could hardly recognize myself.  Today I look considerably different than I did while growing up.  People tell me that I look 'better,'  but to me I still look different not better.  Now, why do you think I feel like this?  A new face should make me feel better or so most people would think, but it didn't.  Why?  I'm still me!  Everything that has gone into the making of me is still here, even though I look different.  Whether I feel good or bad about myself is still here inside this new face.  Was I born this way, no I wasn't!  My personally and looks are determined by the way I perceive myself.  It is call self image and self worth.  I'm looking out at the world not at myself.  You see me but unless I am looking at a mirror I don't see myself so inside I am still me.  I all comes down to 'self image' and how  we perceive ourselves as being.
     Self image will influence our actions with good or bad attitudes as to the way we perceive the world around us.  Our relationships with others is determined by our own self worth and self image.  Our personalities can give our faces through our minds a special look all their own that is unique to only us.  Even twins or triplets will take on certain looks and attitudes that enable people who know them to be able to tell them apart.  
     Scientists discovered that by the time a person is 40 years old their personality is already etched into their face.  In other words if they were a frowner with their mouths turned down all of their lives they by the time they are 40 the lines in their face will be etched by the beginning of wrinkles.  The same is true for people who are happy smile types.  For them the lines or wrinkles of happiness will be etched into their faces by the age of 40.   Go look into a mirror and look at the lines in your face, what kind of personality is etched into your face?
     If you desire to change your face, work at changing your personality.  That's right, your emotions dictate to your face how you will look today or even tomorrow.  If you feel frustrated and worried all of the time, fine tiny creases will begin to form on your face and in time they will deepen and increase.  A person who lives their whole life like that will,  by the time they are old  have a wrinkled, care worned face.   Positive and negative attitudes can have a major influence upon our faces.   The more positive and joyful you are the younger your face will look.  The more down, depressed negative you are the older you will look.  It's true, just look at those around you who walk through life filled with negative attitudes.   Maybe be can't always be happy but we can always have the 'Joy' of the Lord. 
     Have you ever looked at someone and thought they could only be pretty if they had a better attitude?  Here  their negative attitudes of low self esteem and self worth had deteriorated the persons natural looks.  They had become unattractive.  Now on the other hand have you ever seen a  somewhat homely face but because they were so filled with G-d's positive attitudes and His 'Joy' you were attracted to them.  Attitudes of G-d's positives can reinforce the loveliness in anyone.  No matter what a person looks like in the natural, their inner beauty shines through when they live their lives with G-dly positives.
     A person's self concept of themselves will dictate whether they perceive themselves as being beautiful or not.  There are people who have broken noes who people would normally think as being un-attractive yet because they feel good about themselves, they have a G-dly perception of  themselves as being good looking.  The expression that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder is true.   True beauty comes from within not without.  The closer we get in our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and G-dly understanding of the Bible, the better looking we become and our self esteem raises to a high level.
     Christian growth is determined by how you feel about yourself.  If you have negative thoughts about the way you look you will talk and respond to those around you then you in an inhibited or stifled way.  Now on the other hand, if you have G-d's positive thoughts about the way you feel about yourself,  then you have the ability to grow in your Christian walk and have good self esteem.  You own self esteem will make you feel that you have self worth and therefore of value.  True beauty comes from the inside and that comes from having faith and focusing on G-dly positives!