Absalom is a great example of someone in the Bible who thought they were “all that and a bag of chips.” It’s easy to see why. “In the whole land of Israel there wasn’t any man as handsome as Absalom was. That’s why everyone praised him. From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet he didn’t have any flaws.” (2 Samuel 14:25 NIrV)
Evidently, Absalom believed all of this praise and decided he was so very awesome, he should be King. Did I mention he was willing to overthrow his own father in the process? Things didn’t end well for Absalom, because unlike his father, he was not a man after God’s own heart.
Whether your children are physically beautiful to everyone who sees them or only to you, it’s too easy to believe our looks define who we are. Society doesn’t do much to contradict this faulty reasoning. A quick flip through a magazine will help anyone who wondered, realize physical beauty is highly valued.
Your children need to understand how God sees them. Not in the pop culture “positive affirmation” way, but truly understand the character traits God sees as beautiful. There’s a fun way to begin teaching or reinforcing these ideas.
Grab a hand mirror, two sheets of blank paper and some crayons or markers. Have your child draw a self portrait. If your children are able to write, encourage them to add descriptive words to the portrait. Now give your children the second piece of paper. Ask them to draw how they think God sees them. They can use words if they prefer. You may want to share various Bible verses to help them.
After the two portraits are completed, tell your children the story of Absalom. How would he have drawn his self-portrait? How would God have drawn it? With older kids, you can add some discussion about grace and forgiveness, but the emphasis should be on how God sees the “heart” while man only cares about the outside. If your kids can grasp the importance of inner beauty over outer beauty, you will be preparing them to be truly beautiful.