by Kim Trouten, M.A.
A 2006 Time magazine poll reports that women own an average of 27 pairs of shoes, and men own an average of 12 pairs. In our house, it is 23 and 5 respectively. Is it just a coincidence that most women have more pairs of shoes than men, or is there something to this? I believe this small feature of our wardrobes can provide a glimpse into the magnificent glory of God that’s present in women.
I often fall asleep at night composing my outfit for the next day in my head. I like to think of new ways to combine shirts and pants to make a new and interesting outfit. I get a thrill when I come up with a combination that I haven’t tried before. The shoes I wear with the outfit are an essential part. They often provide a pop of color or help pull the outfit together. Today, I am wearing a navy shirt with white jeans and bright yellow necklace and sandals. I enjoyed taking a few minutes to consider how to make a plain navy shirt special. Our desire for beauty and creativity reflects God’s creativity and the delight that He takes in his creation. “Walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it?” Matthew 6:28-9. “God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!” Genesis 1:31.
Consider just a few examples of God’s concern for beauty, variety and creativity. There are over 350,000 known species of beetles and probably millions more to be discovered (Science Daily, Dec. 26, 2007). Millions more to be discovered! Are you kidding me? The sheer variety of beetles is staggering. Besides being found on every continent except Antarctica, in every shape and size, beetles come in every color of the rainbow. They are not the only such creatures on the planet. Butterflies and birds, flowers and figs all come in multitudes of hues, patterns and designs. Each one uniquely designed by God. His care for beauty and creativity are on display. This enormous earth that God created is not monotonous. I suppose he could have made 5 types of trees, birds, bugs and fish to cover the earth. But he did not. He went far beyond that. He went so far as to create a staggering number of insects that most people will never even see in their lifetime. God is that creative.
In one of my favorite movies, Sleepless in Seattle, the main character Sam, played by Tom Hanks is trying to describe what made his late wife special. He says, “She made everything beautiful.” I believe that the desire to make things beautiful lies within the heart of every woman and is at the core of what it means for women to reflect God’s image. Deep within every woman is the desire to unleash her creativity to make something in her world beautiful. It is her desire to make something beautiful, lovely, attractive, or enticing that reflects the character of God. It is an attention to beauty and details that gives people pleasure. In her heart, a woman has tremendous capacity to see what is not and imagine what might become. Every woman is a dreamer. Women, what are your dreams? What do you long to create? I bet it’s beautiful.