Today, I was in line behind a girl who looked about 27 years old and what I saw broke my heart.
It appeared obvious that she had recently undergone various forms of plastic surgery. There were bandages on both sides of her mouth and above her eyebrows. Her entire face looked very swollen and there were large bruises and bandages all over her upper thighs (she was wearing extremely short shorts).
Tears came to my eyes as I waited to order my coffee; I felt so much sadness for that girl. I can’t imagine how desperate she must have felt in order to believe that she needed all of that plastic surgery. I am positive that society drove this girl to feel unbeautiful, unworthy and unaccepted.
Everywhere you look in Korea there are ads pressuring young girls to surgically change their appearance in order to meet the cultural standards of beauty and be accepted by society. Make your nose bridge higher, make your jawline slimmer, make your eyes larger, make your calves smaller. Street billboards, subway car ads, mall posters, coffee shop brochures, it never ends.
I wonder if that girl feels worthy of love and acceptance now that her thighs are narrower and her mouth is wider. Sadly, I doubt it. For true self-worth comes only from knowing the Unconditional Love and Acceptance of the Father.
I wanted to tell her that she was loved, that she was precious, that God longed to be her identity. But, I said nothing. With tears still stinging my eyes, I ordered my coffee and walked home.
Dear Merciful Lord, forgive and restore this country. Open their eyes to the pain they are causing and the oppression they are inflicting in this nation. Heal the hearts of these young women so that they know without a doubt that they were created in Your Image; that they are beautiful and loved and accepted by You just the way they are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A Girl After God's Heart 