I unwrapped one of those dusty pink nuggets of joy and started chomping away. Man, I love me some good bubble gum... but as time passed, I could have sworn my beautiful pink nugget had turned into a nice white pebble. Not so nice to chew on. It was very disappointing to me that the pretty little wrappers, the pink color, everything about that piece of gum, was misleading. The outside packaging was more attractive than the inside product.
Now, I realize that it was just a piece of bubble gum, but I think sometimes I'm like that piece of bubble gum. I care about my "packaging," that cute shirt or those special shoes. I care about the way I look and the way people perceive me. It's easy to get caught up in all those outside things and forget to spend time on the inside. When you get past the fixed up packaging of me, I don't want the inside product to be lacking. I don't want to be better on the outside than I am on the inside.
I buy bubble gum because of the gum, not the package... the value is what's inside! I believe the same goes for people.1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." I pray that we become people who are more beautiful on the inside than the outside. I pray that we are genuine and authentic... consistent throughout. I pray that my generation becomes a generation that is not like Super Bubble.
Next time you have some bubble gum, ask yourself what you're like on the inside. Does your beauty come from your inner self, or your packaging? It will be hard, but let's be people who aren't like bubble gum.
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