Vanity [van-i-tee]: excessive pride in one’s appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements; lack of real value
Consider this blog post a public service announcement. As girls it’s really easy to let our looks get in the way of our freedom to live our lives as God intended. Never did He intend for us to give in to our insecurities or become a slave to our physical appearance. So here is a heart-to-heart from me to you on a few areas of vanity.
Too much make-up: I was in late junior high and early high school when I went through a phase where I despised my freckles. In an effort to hide them, I buried them under layers of thick foundation and powder. That seemed to be the answer to how I could achieve a perfectly smooth and spotless complexion. One day I looked at myself in the mirror and realized how ridiculous I looked. By mid-day my T-zone was oily and foundation had started to cake on my upper lip, around my eyebrows, and would wear off on my nose. Instead of fooling people with my “perfect skin,” I was probably providing people with numerous opportunities to laugh at me. I finally revised my make-up routine and found a better look that worked best for my skin tone and my age — I was too young to be depending too deeply on make-up! For me, vanity became an issue when I tried to use make-up to cover my insecurities.
Tanning: I’m just going to shoot straight on this one — vanity has become an issue for girls who repeatedly use tanning beds. According to the National Cancer Institute,“ women who use tanning beds more than once a month are 55 percent more likely to develop malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.” Why expose yourself to something that will increase your chances for cancer by that much, just for vanity’s sake? As an extremely light-skinned girl myself, I completely understand the insecurities that arise, especially around shorts and swimsuit season, when you feel like you glow compared to the bronzed beauties around you. But listen up — vanity is not worth risking melanoma. Take a few minutes to think of a few youth leaders, friends, or celebrities (yes … this is one instance where I’m encouraging you to look to celebrities) who have embraced the fact that they have light skin. Taylor Swift, Nicole Kidman, Kristen Stewart, Renee Zellweger, and Kristen Dunst are beautiful examples of embracing the skin they’re in!
Taking too long to get ready: I remember a missions trip to Mexico in which a handful of girls spent what seemed like the better part of forever in the bathrooms getting ready in the morning, despite the fact that we were going to be working long days in the hot sun walking through dirty streets. Vanity got in the way for those girls.
I think there are times in all of our lives when we need to stop and evaluate whether vanity is affecting our day-to-day activities. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Do you think it’s a fairly normal amount of time or do you think you’re putting too much time and energy into your appearance? Do you find yourself popping into the bathroom on locker breaks to touch up your hair and make-up? Take a few minutes to honestly assess whether vanity has become an issue. At 26 years old I did a vanity check a few months ago and was really convicted about my morning routine! So just be honest.
Compulsive shopping: There is nothing wrong with trendy clothes and accessories or being style-minded, but when it comes at the expense of credit cards, overstuffed closets, and a need to always have more, vanity has become an issue. As you start making money of your own and being more responsible for expenses, remember these principles — save some, give some, spend some.
·Out of the money you make, save some. Put some of it away into savings so that at an early age you are getting into good habits. Perhaps this is a certain dollar amount of each check you get or a certain percentage.
·Give some. The first 10% of what you make should be your tithe (read more about tithing in Nehemiah 10:37,38). You may also consider giving to missions, building campaigns, or other special giving opportunities offered through your church as you feel led.
·And finally you can spend some. It’s completely fine to spend some of your money that you’ve worked hard for! Go out to eat with a friend. See a movie. Buy a new purse. But when you manage your money with the save some, give some, and spend some principles working together, it keeps your finances balanced and on a path that’s not driven by vanity.
I think most girls go through a phase of insecurity where they hold back from certain activities for fear that they are going to look ugly or silly. Think about it — have you sat on the edge of the pool and just dangled your feet in the water while all of the rest of your friends played a rousing game of water volleyball because you were afraid of what you looked like in your swimsuit or of looking like a drowned rat or looking unrecognizable without your make-up on? Have you turned down an opportunity to play soccer with your friends because you’re embarrassed that you don’t have official “work out” clothes or know how to wear your hair so it looks best despite sweating and running?
How many times have you let vanity come in the way of being free and having fun? Take some time and assess yourself in all of these areas and see where you stack up. Make this your theme verse as you move forward in a life that is controlled by God and not your issues of vanity: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, NIV).





