Tip of My Iceberg

It’s fascinating to see how our definition of “fancy” changes as we get older. Little girls often love to wear extravagantly decorative dresses with a lot of flounce and jeweled finery. Older girls want to look older than they are, so they dress like teenagers in their efforts to pass muster as those they imitate.

Appearance is purposeful. Whether we dress to make us feel good or cause someone else to take notice, our appearance matters a great deal to us. We choose to gather “likes” and comments as if they were monetized. Having a following on Instagram or TikTok is what some people do for a living, constantly refining their image, making sure they post the best pictures that will garner the most response.

Kolly and Thea love twirly dresses. They call them their princess dresses because of how such garments make them feel. Kolly even goes to bed in pajamas that are more gown-like than jammie-like.

Sloane, at nine years of age, got to go to her first real concert, performed by Freya Skye. She and a friend were so excited that they even wore makeup. They went from fancy to plain and simple with sweatshirts purchased that trumpeted the singer and her schedule.

Americans spend over sixteen billion dollars annually on combined surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures to attain the look they want. Despite many Americans’ economic situation, demand for these techniques remains high. The majority of these operations, 25 percent, happen in the South Atlantic region. What’s been affectionately termed “daddy do-overs” has increased dramatically, mostly because baby boomer men don’t want to look old.

People are often judged by their appearances. We have beauty pageants to assess who is the most beautiful. However, Gracie Hart in “Miss Congeniality” retorted to the woman who ran the program, who called it a beauty pageant, stating, “It is not a beauty pageant; it is a scholarship program.” We have runway shows where fashion designers showcase their new seasonal fashions, which drive the fashion purchases of many. There is even the “dress for success” theory that suggests that dressing more professionally improves self-confidence and enhances cognitive performance.

We want to look good.

When the prophet Samuel was looking to anoint a new king for Israel, he went to the home of Jesse of Bethlehem, who had eight sons. Eliab, the firstborn, was impressive in his appearance, strong and quite capable.

“When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, ‘Surely this is the LORD’s anointed!’ But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:6-7.

Samuel assumed that one who appeared strong was the kind of king God was looking for. He was fooled, as was everyone in Jesse’s family. The youngest of the clan, a teenager who was out shepherding his father’s flocks, was to become the next king of Israel. King David.

David’s reign was a high point of history for Israel. He was known for transforming twelve fractured tribes into one powerful nation and for making Jerusalem the capital city of Israel, a political and religious capital. He expanded the kingdom through military prowess, creating the furthest borders of the nation. God made a covenant with David, promising him his dynasty would last forever, for his ancestor would be the Messiah, God become man.

David was just a kid when Samuel anointed him as king. A kid who grew to be a king.

Our identity isn’t in how we look or even in how others see us. The significance of each of us is the state of our hearts–who we are in character, in how we treat others, and in our choices reflects the depth of our hearts.

Maybe not fancy dancy, but definitely classy character.