'Are you fit to sell?' So read the headline of an article in a newspaper I was looking at today. The article was written on whether or not your house is in 'sell-able' condition, but for some reason, the title got me thinking.
Walking around the campus of my university this week, I've noticed a lot of people 'advertising' things. Sex, partying, drinking....education is obviously only a convenient 'side effect' of university for a lot of these students. When I talk about people advertising themselves, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably immodest women, advertising their bodies to any guy who wants to look. But the truth is, everyone is 'selling' themselves as something, whether they know it or not. I met a young man on the bus yesterday who carrying a bag with music notes and the word 'Handel' on it. Obviously he was advertising himself as a music guy. He was also reading 'The Hobbit' on the bus. I deduced that he was advertising himself as a classical literature kind of guy. You get my point. everything you wear or carry can say something about you. But it doesn't just come down to what you wear or how you accessorize, the way you act also advertises something about you. Let's take the movie Lord of the Rings, for a nerdy example. What was the thing that differentiated Aragorn and Borimir? On the surface both were noble men of noble birth and noble bearing. What truly created the difference between them was their attitudes. Aragorn's attitude was one of service and self-sacrifice, whilst Borimir's was one of self-serving and self-gain. And for all of you Pride & Prejudice-loving girls (and guys) out there...what separated Elizabeth and Lydia Bennett? They were both pretty, sweet, young women with good reputations. Again, it was the way they advertised themselves! Lizzie advertised herself as a sensible young woman, while Lydia advertised herself as somewhat silly and very boy-crazy. The reason that Lydia got into such terrible trouble was that she, by her behaviour, opened herself up to it. Elizabeth may well have fallen into the same sin as her sister, but she kept herself from doing so by acting in such a way as to keep herself out of such situations.
So, what am I saying? I am asking a simple question....'Are you fit to sell'? Are you, by the way you dress, the way you speak, the way you act, the way you text, the way you email, the way you update your facebook or twitter status, the pictures you post online, advertising yourself in the way you really want to be advertised?
To all of you single young women looking to impress guys, are you advertising yourself as cheap, shallow, immodest, immoral, silly, boy-crazy, girls, or are you advertising yourself as mature, intelligent, Christian, Christ-minded girls? This translates to those who may be in relationships already too, by the way. Whether you are seeking friendships or relationships, the way you advertise yourself will decide the types of people you attract. If you advertise yourself as shallow, you will have shallow friends or a shallow boyfriend, if you advertise yourself as a mature christian woman, you will attract mature, christian friends.
Men, this applies to you too! Walking around my university campus, I have seen many many guys who are advertising themselves (whether they know it or not) as...well...as idiots. Shirts with 'funny' quotes on them or pants that hang so low it's a miracle they stay on, vulgar language and crude jokes, nudging and laughing when a pretty girl walks by, trying to impress guys and girls with their amazing athletic abilities or their way with words......Blah, it is unbearably annoying. Guys, if you are really trying to impress girls, think for a minute about what you want in a girl... Do you desire a girlfriend who is going to drool over your good looks, your athletic ability, or your macho talk? Or do you desire a girlfriend who is attracted to your godly character, your kindness to others, and your maturity? Like I said to the girls....if you advertise yourself as a cheap, shallow, girl-crazy guy, you're going to get a cheap, shallow, boy-crazy girl!
I know, I know...you're thinking 'Hey, that's all great, but I would really like my significant other to think I'm good-looking, and I would like my friends to think I'm fun to be around as well as being a mature christian!'
I'll tell you a secret..I can't speak for guys, and I can't speak for girls as a whole, but I tend to think that this is more common than you'd think...
Guys who are not good looking become more and more attractive the nicer and more mature they are, and guys who are super-handsome become progressively less and less attractive the more immature and self-absorbed they are!
You way not be inclined to believe this, but it is actually true. There are many guys who I have met and found very physically attractive. Many of those guys, however have revealed themselves to be very rude, immature, and self-seeking young men. There are often times that I will find myself looking at those guys and thinking to myself 'How in the world did I ever think he was attractive?' Those guys literally become 'ugly' to my eyes. On the other hand there are other guys who I have not, at first, found overly handsome. A lot of these men, however, I have gotten to know and have found to be such mature, spiritual, kind, and Christian guys that I suddenly find myself looking at them and wondering... 'How did I ever think they weren't good-looking?' Those are the type of guys that I truly find 'handsome'. The kind of guys that are handsome not just on the surface, but whose attractiveness stems from Jesus Christ who they try to emulate.
To end off this long-winded article, I would like to issue a plea to men and women alike.
Be the kind of person you want to attract.
It's hard to be that person when you are surrounded by people who are immature and ungodly and you just want to fit in, but be that person. Be that person, and you will eventually find those who, like you, are mature, godly people. Never settle for second best just because best is taking a while to arrive.
