The book of Daniel really spoke to me today (and sorry, now it’s gonna be speaking to you!! lol!). Right off the hop – pop – something leapt off the page as I read Daniel 3:1. It begins with King Nebuchadnezzar and his decree that ALL the people should bow down to this oh-so-perfect GOLDEN Idol and Image that HE had created….. 

And if anyone dared to NOT do it?? Well, they would very quickly feel, and very firmly receive, some serious consequences for their choice to disobey that KING….Like, how about being thrown into a fiery furnace or two ?? Hmm…. Does this story sound familiar to you??

Well, it did to me!  I thought : “WHOA!! Isn’t that a little bit like how we see, view and pursue WOMEN’s bodies today? Like, isn’t there this “perfect idol and image” of just HOW we should look and be and be seen by others (or maybe even ourselves??), complete with allllll the right dimensions, shape and stature?

And so,  just like that ‘golden statue’, IF we don’t bow down to meet the expectations we receive from the others, the media, or the voice in our own heads, to look and BE a certain way, we risk being THROWN right into the ‘fiery furnace’ of negative emotions, energy and attentions (or maybe better said, INattentions??)…

Anyone else see this comparison?? 

If you think it thru – you might see it too. Because just like back when there was a HUGE pressure to perform to this golden ‘idol’, there is a silent command to conform to the IMAGE AND IDEAL presented to us today … And maybe, even though we know it isn’t good, we still totally grasp and grab it as we SEE so many other people aiming for that ‘GOLDEN GIRL’.

Maybe, you have caught yourselves caring and believing that this ‘IDOL and IMAGE’ will bring some ‘perfect success’ your way.  I say this, being a girl who has totally BOUGHT into this idea.  Problem is, without even realizing it, life changes you, your body, your shape and your stature – whether you want it to or not…and you are no  longer the image of ‘beauty’ you used to be — soooo, just what now does that leave you to BE?

Oh my, just what is a girl in our society going to DO??!

Well, how about read on thru to the end of Chapter 3 and SEE what good ol’ “Do the different DANIEL” did!

Like, how about stand up, straight and plain ol’ SAY to yourself: “Nope – not gonna do it…..not gonna believe ….not gonna touch or buy into it…. EVEN if it means I am going to ‘DIE” in someone else’s eyes for it (and maybe mostly in my own!) … (Daniel 3:12, 16-18)

I have sure learned that it is better for me to stick with what GOD says is BEST, and best for me, than ‘go with the flow” — which leads right into DISOBEDIENCE to the wrong “Kind of King”….the one that can kill me, from the inside out — if you know what I mean.

Yup, King Nebazeener never made it easy for this guy, yet Daniel never wavered from knowing which KING to follow… And as we follow thru the rest of the story, we see Daniel did NOT withdraw, he did NOT disobey, he did NOT choose to cave….. but he sure did IMPACT so many by choosing stick with GOD’S GOLDEN RULES, over any other tools….(Daniel 3:28-30)

And so, let’s toss the ‘ruler stick’ away when looking at ourselves: no more worldly-dimension that might ‘magically make you be and feel and seem perfect’ ….. but only aim to gain the TRUE GODLY BEAUTY that only comes from full-on trusting and full-in choosing to obey what HE has to say…

Because ladies, that’s when you really can hit and have SO much SOUL-success — no matter what the shape, the size or the curve of your thigh…. 

TRUSTING HIS WORD over what we have HEARD all around us — it is the only way to be

a bold, a brave, and a  BEAUTIFULLY-SOULED-following-the-CORRECT-KING Woman of GOD..….

Carol 🙂