Poem

Broken Idol

Michael Beck

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30)

You look into the mirror, you like the face you see
You think there should be others who also would agree
There’s something there of beauty, a side that serves you well
Now only to be careful, to hide what would repel

You look into the camera, and hope some eye will see
An image they will worship, perfection you would be
You photoshop your image but know it is not you
But till you catch your lover with lies you must make do

Each day holds forth new promise, you start off on your quest
In hopes the world will notice and find you at your best
But somehow you were sitting, unmindful of your pose
And though you found out later, they thought, “How big her nose!”

So suitors start to dwindle, perfection they still seek
A button nose they look for, not one who has a beak
You think you must go further to have them look your way
Though drastic is the answer a surgeon you will pay

Now when the job is over and you are back in sight
You glory in new freedom to sit just where you like
You feel you are goddess, for worship you await
Of praise you once were lacking, you’ll take a heaping plate

But though you bag your lover whose words become your drug
There’s something still that’s missing, deep down what is this bug?
“Remember,” chimes the expert, “the way that you were raised.
This problem started early, you needed much more praise.”

Aha! You think you’ve got it, it all becomes so clear
If only you would love you, at last you would be dear
You wouldn’t need men’s notice, their pat upon your back
You wouldn’t need to alter one thing they think you lack

So now with revelation you never had before
You look into the mirror but still within you roar
It’s not how others see you which causes you to frown
You are your own worst critic, it’s you who brings you down

It’s not the world around you, stop blaming Mom and Dad
Who caused you such dysfunction, that has you running mad
All humans have one issue, no matter what their past
When little god they worship, the highest praise fades fast

All grass is sure to wither, all flowers lose their glow
No flesh was meant for worship, no Adam should bestow
On Eve, though full of beauty, a praise her God is due
To Him, she should direct men, and bow before Him too

But should she want her image to take His rightful place
The day will come upon her when she won’t like her face
Her lovers will all leave her and she herself will know
The reason they are leaving and with them she will go

And then the broken idol she made for men to see
Will run from every mirror where beauty will not be
Perhaps she will not need them, enthralled at last to find
A beauty never ending, not changing over time

From Him she’ll seek her praises, no matter how she looks
No other judge will matter, just what is in His books
No longer will she covet or fear what men will say
To shine with God’s own beauty she wants but to display

She’ll sit where He will put her, no angling she will need
Despite what others publish, for edits she won’t plead
Why should it even matter what men think of her now?
She judges not her own self, no one to her must bow

How glorious the freedom, in every human heart
That tears down every idol, just don’t forget to start
With god whose fading beauty the mirror will reveal
Let God of greater glory be Him to whom you kneel

Favor is deceitful, all beauty is in vain
One day you’re in your glory, the next day all is shame
Fear not the loss of beauty, embrace the nose God made
When He alone you worship, you’ll need none other’s praise


Michael Beck is a pastor in the Dallas, TX area and the main author on Signpost. Receive a daily devotional he publishes every morning via email.