What God gave Eve was “indeed very good,” but Satan made it look “shifty.” He must have known she was a Gamine, and would act before thinking. Gamines are also very passionate about their convictions, and they tend to be very persuasive in making those around them agree with whatever they believe. I bet the snake knew that, too. He knew if he could convince Eve that God’s law was unfair and that taking the fruit was right, she would convince her husband.
Not much has changed; the same enemy of God is still in the business of twisting up Truth. And his MO hasn’t changed either; he is still on a mission to destroy those created in the image of God, or at least to destroy their confidence in who they are!
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10
And when it comes to women, he loves to direct his lies toward the issue of beauty. Your enemy knows that your image is an important part of who you are as a reflection of your Creator, and he hates the fact that you are beautiful. He will do anything to keep you from living your life as a beautiful, captivating woman of God who knows who she is.
Why? Because Satan knows just how powerful your beauty is. He knows which style of beauty you are and what your strengths and weaknesses are. Whether you believe it or not, he knows your image has the power to glorify God and to draw others to Him. And that is why he hates your beauty. That is why he wants you to hide it, hate it, or get hung up on it.
Eve decided to hide it. A lot of Gamines do. Look at Genesis 3:7-8:
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
They hid themselves from each other and from the presence of their Lord. Isn’t that what shame does? It makes us pull away from each other, and from God.
Let me say it again: The temptation in the garden was not about Eve (or Adam) eating a piece of fruit. It was about them knowing who they are. The temptation is to be more, to know more; the trap is to be made to feel like a “nobody,” and to pull away from everybody.
What happened that day in the Garden of Eden was a negative but supreme makeover. Eve was changed from the inside out. She started as an epitome of God’s beauty, a true reflection of Him. She had peace in who she was. So much so, that she could walk around completely naked with total confidence.
She could share herself, all that she was, inside and out, with her Lord and her husband, with freedom and joy. But when she started doubting herself and her God, she suddenly saw herself differently: She found herself inadequate and shameful. She lost her confidence and the ease of intimacy.
Who she was, as a woman of God, changed; her eyes were opened and she knew she was naked. She was suddenly self-conscious, aware that she needed to cover herself up…and as a result all her relationships were changed.
Satan’s makeover was successful (for him). Eve was a new woman: a fearful, self-conscious, unsatisfied woman in hiding. What she believed about herself had changed. She wasn’t even conscious of her image before; now she believed she should hide herself from the ones who loved her.
Gamines do that, too. They are bold women who tend to see things as good or bad, and unfortunately they assume others see things the way they do. If they see in themselves something they don’t like, they think everyone else sees it, too, and often they withdraw from friends who really love and respect them and wish they could be closer.
Thank God, Eve’s story doesn’t end with Satan’s makeover and neither does yours–whether you are a Gamine or not. God’s love for us is stronger than our shame. Like Adam and Eve, we may make great effort to hide from God, but all our efforts do not keep Him from pursuing us.
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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their confidence conflicts; it is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available in book stores this spring. All of these books are available now at www.CatrinaWelch.com
If you are interested in having Catrina come speak to your friends, colleagues or ministry you can contact her on facebook or by email at catrina@catrinawelch.com.
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