DEBORAH

There is an opera in town and the songs sung tell of a man who met a woman at a well. Looking at her wardrobe, she realizes she must recreate the look she imagined for the event. This grand occasion called for glitz and glam, gowns and heels. Only her choices were limited and lacking the fashion this opera required. As any woman would, she refused to let anything stand in the way of her childhood dream day. She reached into the back of her closet after pulling everything down from it. There it was, her Leopard print dress! Deborah grabs the dress and runs to her dressing room to jump into it. By this time it feels like she is in an inferno. Could it be the spanks she had on restricting her breath, movement and ventilation? I’m sure she thinks to herself, but who has time to concentrate on that. Beauty Calls! After doing her hair and makeup, then putting on her dress, Deborah steps back to look into the mirror. The dress fits perfectly as if she had tattooed it on herself. Very good, she says, and off she goes. The image before her in the mirror was one that was cultivated in the presence of God, even though the scars remained. Her outward appearance now matched her inner esteem through God’s redemptive power working through her life. Chin up! What’s meant to keep you looking down cannot overpower the God-given confidence that has been born on the inside of you. Deborah recalls these things to mind. Finally, embracing her identity as the apple of God’s eye, and that’s more than enough.