My (Apparently) Controversial Opinions on Botox
““Charm is Deceptive and Beauty is Fleeting...”
We’ve got to talk.
Am I one of the only girls in my twenties left that does not agree with Botox or any huge face or body altering surgeries for unnecessary reasoning. I do not come from a place of hate or judgment, but rather, a place of a heart that hurts for the girls who believe they need to change something about themselves to look better, be more socially accepted, or whatever misconstrued reason they believe that they have to alter themselves. This is just something so far from the truth of God!
Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for people trying to better themselves, and I believe God loves to see us do better as well, but I do believe there is a line to this. I know people who have gotten breast reductions because the pain was intolerable. I know people who have gotten on acutance because their acne was uncontrollable. God gifted us with the knowledge of ever-changing science, but to abuse this power simply seems so wrong in my eyes.
God truly made us with a purpose. As he says in Genesis, we are made in his image. He passionately and unconditionally loves us, past present, and future. He loves us regardless of whether society deems us beautiful and perfect or ugly and unworthy. He doesn’t care about our wrinkles that we’ve gained after years of smiling, he doesn’t care about the weight we put on from the delicious food we get to enjoy, and he doesn’t care about the gray hairs which will grow from our scalp after learning years of life. What he cares about is our health, our happiness, and our salvation.
Proverbs 16:31 reads “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” This verse has always stuck with me because I have always seen gray hair as a beautiful thing; my grandmothers have had gray hair all my life, encouraging natural beauty, and I have loved that. I see gray hair as a sign of wisdom, a sign of a fully lived life, and God too sees that it is not something to be shameful about. I think God knew we would be insecure about things of this nature which is why he made verses such as this.
Botox specifically has been on my mind heavy; all my friends talk about it, some friends have even gotten it, and everyone on social media has lip fillers, Botox , BBLs, etc. etc.- you name it, they got it. Recently, one of my favorite smaller influencers got Botox in her forehead “with hopes of it reducing headaches as she furrows her eyebrows a lot.” I could not help but feel like this is simply an excuse she used to get Botox and not say she necessarily promotes Botox. She is a Christian woman who is constantly promoting being yourself, being natural, being the person God created, but I cannot help to feel like that message is completely diluted by the fact she got Botox herself.
The power of comparison is unbeatable as it is power of a thief. 2 Corinthians 10:12 shows us this: “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
My heart Hurts. How have we allowed society to make generations believe that alterations to our body will bring us happiness?
Now, beauty itself is not a bad thing. We see throughout the bible that God is beautiful. And we are made in his imagine so we are inherently all beautiful. However, there is an issue with letting Beauty become something that deters you from God, from your original state, from your true self and heart. We see in Ezekiel 28:17 as it reads, “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.”
On the contrast to the goods of beauty, the bible condemns vanity. Philippians 2:3 states, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves.” I feel as if Gen-z is a very vain generation, not all to our fault, but I fear it will only worsen if a change does not happen soon.
1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
I want everyone to sit with that verse for a second, because it truly speaks wonders here. The Lord looks at the heart- he simply does not care to look at outward beauty as that is not what will matter when it is our time for eternity. He will look at our actions, our words, our truths, our heart.
I can’t help but to image if we got to heaven and God did not recognize us as the person he created because we allowed the world to let us believe we need to change ourselves to be beautiful.
Now, I have no place to condemn another. I am no better than another person simply because I do not have Botox. I am a sinner all the same. But to not speak my mind on this seems to be a disrespect to God himself. Maybe we should ask ourselves, why do we feel the need to change ourselves and will that change of outward appearance truly make a difference?
I believe that there is a truer, inner peace that people need to find before assuming it is their outward appearance which is harming their mental state. So, I leave this question with you all: Is your heart at peace with everything which you are, or are you longing for something bigger and better?
Jess C
Proverbs 16:31
I encourage you guys to go to God with your questions and doubts first, not the world!
