Friday, January 27, 2012

Lessons From Austen

I love Jane Austen anything! (Currently reading "Sense & Sensibility") And I believe all women love the famous Mr.Darcy from "Pride & Prejudice". (And doesn't Colin Firth just make the perfect Darcy! that's a statement, not a question.)
 Ok back to the topic. In "Pride and Prejudice" there is this great scene where Bingley is trying to persuade Darcy to ask one of the many women to dance at this ball they are at. Now, there are so many more women at this dance than there are men. So, there is Lizzy sitting by herself and watching the couples elegantly move about the dance floor. And there is Darcy, the most handsome man in the room, just standing there...not dancing...and being totally rude by doing so. Bingley points out Lizzy as a beautiful woman and asks Darcy to go ask her to dance. Now remember, Lizzy can hear their whole conversation. Darcy looks over at her and replies: 
"She's tolerable I suppose but not handsome enough to tempt me."
DARCY SAY WHAT?!!!
 Pretty much he is saying she is "okay looking but not pretty enough to have him go dance with her"!!!!!

Now how would you respond if you overheard this being said about you? If you heard a really handsome man say you're not pretty enough for him to even ask for a simple dance. Or would you just focus on the "not pretty" part?

We can all learn something from Lizzy. She responded in laughter. She walks past him and has to control herself because she cannot believe what she just heard this man say. She didn't take his words and let them shatter her spirit. She didn't take his words as absolute truth. She didn't even have a second thought about being ugly. The ugly one was him for making such a rude comment. And that's all she took from it. 

Sometimes, a lot of times, we take people's hurtful comments and words and hold onto them as TRUTH. We put them in our imaginary backpacks and carry them around like they belong to us. Do you know what is THE TRUTH about you? Go look in the Bible because that's exactly where you're going to find it. 

PSALM 139:14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..."

JEREMIAH 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..."

ROMANS 5:8 "but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

YOU ARE SO LOVED. YOU ARE BEAUTIFULLY MADE. SET APART. 
That's the only truth you need to carry on your shoulders. Don't let any man or woman make you feel less worthy. Laugh off those hurtful comments; they do not define you. GOD DOES and sweetie, He is HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH YOU! 

Let's take this little lesson from Lizzy. 

For the love of Mr.Darcy and English accents ~ 

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