Beauty Pageants and Models

       At any given time, there are countless girls staring at their reflection, primping and priming for the off-chance they are accepted into a pageant or photoshoot. It truly is an off-chance. Considering how many girls in the United States are aspiring to be a famous model or a contestant in a pageant, the chances of being successful seem slimmer than the models themselves.
       These girls don't just aspire: They live for it. Every step they take, it is a strut for a runway. Every outfit they put on, they are modeling. Every pause in movement is a pose.
       Think of the money they spend to perfect themselves! They pay for designer clothes, which are ludicrously expensive (Who would pay two thousand dollars for a dress that will be worn once?); application fees for pageants; costs of photoshoots; and expenses for cosmetics, and - unfortunately - Botox, plastic surgery, and similar procedures (I'm not saying all models have plastic surgery, but it sure seems that way). They hire consultants (mostly women who tried to win pageants, failed, and now coach other girls how to "win") to improve their chances of doing well in contests.
       Not only are they investing money, they invest time. Hours and hours are spent practicing their walk, their poses, their facial expressions (their smizing, as Tyra calls it)... They wait for call-backs from auditions and agencies...
       It's a shame that so many girls invest so much time, money, and energy into this, only to find out they aren't accepted. What happens to the girls who don't make it into fame and fortune? Do they have a back-up plan? Unfortunately, a lot of girls are so confident they will succeed (or don't know of any other talent they might have), they don't consider an alternative.
       What do you dedicate your life to? How much time do you put into that? Is it a hobby, obsession, or passion? Where will it take you? Is it worth the risks it requires you to take?
       Know that God can be your greatest passion. He shouldn't be put on hold until Sunday. He needs to be something you live and breathe. Every step you take should be following in God's footsteps. Everything you do should be something He would do.
      It's interesting that the word model means to copy. After all, most models are copies of each other. Stereotypically speaking, models are white, blonde, and they act according to stereotypical model behavior (excessive dieting, et cetera). According to some people, good models are those that look like Barbies. Hopefully, everyone knows that Barbies set impossible standards for perfection.
       In that light, we should be like models. However, we imitate Christ, not people. We aim for beautiful souls, not beautiful bodies. God is ultimate perfection. We can only strive to be like Him, but never reach that same perfection (besides, if we were perfect, we wouldn't need God). God's perfection shows us our imperfections, all that we need to improve. No, we aren't saved by being good people, but we are to be like Christ. And how are we to be like Christ if we don't see our shortcomings, our need to change for the better? If more Christians start "modeling" God, more people might be able to see why He needs to be in their lives too.