Why I Don’t Own a Beautiful Mess Shirt

It’s trendy to be messy.

We lead the rebellion against perfection (at least with our words–how many shots did it take you to get that last selfie?). We embrace all that is flawed. Being a mess is cool. Put together is over rated. Posting images of our imperfections proves the latest way to be in style. Gushing over each other’s “authentic” messiness offers validation to our thirsty souls.

“I’m a beautiful mess!”

Seriously, if you own the t-shirt. I’m not mad at you. It was the MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) theme a few years ago. It’s trendy in Christian circles. I get it.

But here’s where I bristle. I don’t think my mess deserves a pretty pink bow. My mess doesn’t deserve any glory. Truth is, I don’t deserve any glory at all.

I treasure authenticity, yes. So, so much in fact. I hate fake. I don’t want you to believe I’m anything less than a wretched sinner in desperate need of grace. If I took photos of my house you would not be impressed by how clean it is. If I took a selfie this second you’d see me with uncombed hair, unbrushed teeth and not a drop of make-up. (It’s almost 3:30pm!)

None of that’s pretty. That’s for sure! But, what’s really ugly is the mess in my heart–the ways I struggle not to get caught up into sin every day.

It’s a mess. Truly a mess. One minute I’m singing “Great are You Lord”  and the next I’m plotting ways to look skinny and save the world so you’ll think MORE about me.

I’m not proud of this.

And, that’s why I’m not wearing the shirt. I can’t. My mess isn’t beautiful. I don’t need a shirt that tells the world it is. Glorifying the messy me is not what the Christian life is about.

But, what Jesus did to cover my mess? Now, that’s something to brag about. That’s where the glory belongs. The phenomenal way Jesus knows just how thick and tangled this heart is and yet . . .he still loves me. . .

That’s beautiful, right?

Jesus’ saving grace doesn’t just pretty up my ugly. It covers it. Completely. It sanctifies my mess so much so that it’s no longer fitting to call it a mess.

That’s what’s truly beautiful.

So, I’m skipping the shirt. I want the world to know I’m real, but I want them to know I serve a God with the power to clean me up.

What do you think?

Need more encouragement? Check out Heather's books here, or her online course and coaching program here. You can also give the Compared to Who? podcast a listen, for twice-weekly encouragement with body image struggles from a Christian standpoint, where she explores all the nitty-gritty details we all face when struggling with body image woes and how to get free.