Am I Attractive?

This morning on my way to my exercise class at the YMCA, I was listening to KLOVE radio station. One of the female DJs was talking about how she loves sparkly things. She talked about how sparkly things attract us. She then compared that to our lives and was wondering how “sparkly” we are in our actions.

This really got me to thinking. My mind tends to be like a superhighway!! Ideas seem to ping around, and I never know where they are going to land. Most of the time when that happens, I have to write them down to tame them!! Sometimes I write them on this blog!!

So here are my thoughts on being “sparkly.” I remember being in an adult Sunday School class one Sunday many years ago. We were talking about the scripture where Jesus tells his disciples that he will make them fishers of men. Mark 1:17 We had a great discussion about how we are all fishers of men in our lives as Christians.

We talked about fishing. First, you have to attract the fish. Fishermen use different kinds of bait. My Grandfather used to like to use his Lucky 13 lure to attract the bass to his line. Think about what lures look like… they are shiny, THEY ARE “SPARKLY.” Very attractive to fish!!

During this Sunday School class, we were asked the question, “What kind of bait are you using as fishers of men?” The way we live our lives should be a very important bait shouldn’t it? So the big question that day was “Am I attractive? Is the way I live my life attractive to others so that it will draw them to God?”   That is a pretty daunting question, isn’t it?

So I sat in my car this morning asking myself that question again. Am I attractive?

Which got me thinking even more… Physical attractiveness is so subjective, isn’t it? What attracts you physically to others is dependent on so many things. Culture, life experiences, personal preference all play a factor in what one sees as attractive. All we need to do is look at a National Geographic magazine from years ago to realize that what is considered attractive in some parts of the world, are considered very strange in others!!!

But, emotional and spiritual attractiveness is not based on any outside influence. Our life experience, our culture, our personal preference really don’t determine what we find emotionally attractive. I know of no one who doesn’t find kindness an attractive characteristic. I know of no one who doesn’t find forgiveness and attractive quality.

Do you see my point? A “sparkly character”, attractive characteristics supersede all cultural or experience biases. Morals, manners, positive characteristics speak a universal language. We aren’t bound by cultural mores to have our lives be attractive to others.

I’m going on a trip to Europe in the not too distant future and will be spending a few days in Paris- a fashion capital. For fun, I’ve been looking on Pinterest at what women wear these days on the streets of Paris. Not so much because I want to be considered attractive in Paris. ( I’ll be with my daughter. Men stopped looking at me when I’m standing by her many years ago. ha ha) But I am looking so that I don’t “stand out” too much as a tourist. All of my Pinterest browsing really isn’t important if I simply remember to just have an attractive character while in Paris. I know from a trip there before that Parisians don’t come across as “friendly.” But, I can be.

All of this brain pinging on my drive this morning made me realize all the times that I fall short living an “attractive” life. Too many times that I care to think about, I’ve had to email someone after behaving in a way that is contradictory to how I wish to live my life. It’s not that I’m making a scene or anything. It’s usually in the quietness of my relationships that I find that I don’t handle things well. Even with me consciously trying not to be, I am judgmental far too often. It’s one of my greatest faults. Those times are when I am most unattractive!!!

On a side note, I wear a Fishers Of Men bracelet every day. In fact, I never take it off. It is a constant in my life. I bought it thinking that it would be a daily reminder that as a Christian, I am fishing for people. Unfortunately, the time I most notice it these days is when I’m having to do a plank for an exercise class, and it gets caught on my hand. But after today’s mental pings, I hope that each time I notice it on my wrist, I remember what God has called me to do.

Here is what a Fishers Of Men bracelet from James Avery looks like. It can be ordered here.

OK- my rambling on and on has to stop today. Boy, it feels good to get it all out.

So here is the question…

How about you? Have you lived an attractive life today? As for me, I think I’ve done OK today. We will see how tomorrow goes!!! For better or worse, there’s always tomorrow!!!