Imagine this scenario: When Julia looks in the mirror, all she sees is fat. “I need to lose weight,” she tells herself—even though her parents and friends tell her she’s “stick-thin.”

Recently, Julia has thought about taking extreme measures to lose “just five pounds.” All she has to do is starve herself for a few days . . .

If you felt the way Julia does, what would you do?

It’s not wrong for you to be concerned about how you look. In fact, the Bible comments favorably on the physical appearance of a number of women and men, including Sarah, Rachel, Abigail, Joseph, and David. The Bible says that a woman named Abishag was “extremely beautiful.”—1 Kings 1:4.

However, many youths are obsessed with how they look. That can lead to severe problems. Consider:

• In one study, 58 percent of girls claimed to be overweight, when, in fact, only 17 percent were.

• In another study, 45 percent of women who were actually underweight thought that they were too heavy!

• In their quest to lose weight, some youths have fallen victim to anorexia—a life-threatening eating disorder that really amounts to self-starvation.

 If you have symptoms of anorexia or any other eating disorder, get help. Start by confiding in a parent or another trusted adult. The Bible says: “A true friend shows love at all times, and is a brother who is born for times of distress.”—Proverbs 17:17.

Really, it’s the inner person that makes one either attractive or not. Consider King David’s son Absalom. The Bible says:

“No man was as highly praised for his handsome appearance. . . . There was no flaw in him.”—2 Samuel 14:25.

Yet, this young man was full of pride, ambition, and treachery! The Bible, therefore, doesn’t paint a pretty picture of Absalom; it portrays him as a man of shameless disloyalty and murderous hatred.

For good reason, the Bible gives us this advice:

“Clothe yourselves with the new personality.”—Colossians 3:10.

“Do not let your adornment be external . . . , but let it be the secret person of the heart.”—1 Peter 3:3, 4.

While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good, far more important than your appearance is your personality. In the long run, praiseworthy qualities will make you more attractive to others than a strong body or a beautiful figure will! “Prettiness can get quick attention,” says a girl named Phylicia, “but who you are on the inside and your good qualities are what people will remember about you the most.”

Are you often disappointed with the way you look?

Have you ever considered resorting to cosmetic surgery or an extreme diet to correct a physical flaw?

What would you change about your appearance if you could? (Select all that apply.)

• HEIGHT

• WEIGHT

• HAIR

• BODY SHAPE

• FACE

• COMPLEXION

If you answered yes to the first two questions and selected three or more features in the third, consider this: There’s a good chance that others don’t see you as negatively as you see yourself. It’s easy to go to extremes and worry about your appearance too much.—1 Samuel 16:7.

Ghee igiemwi na ghee: E Julia ghi ghee ughegbe, ọ na do miẹn wẹẹ te irẹn ghi wa kpọlọ. Agharhemiẹn wẹẹ evbibiẹ ọre kevbe avbe ọsiọre tama rẹn wẹẹ te ọ yevbe igban owẹ, ọ na ye kha wẹẹ, “I wa hoo ne I siamẹ.”

Vbe ọ ma he kpẹẹ gbe na, e Julia na kha wẹẹ, irẹn ma na siamẹ, evbakha i rrọọ. Ọ na wa ban evbare vbe ikpẹdẹ eso . . .

Adeghẹ uwẹ ọre Julia, de emwi ne uwẹ gha te ru?

Ọ ma de emwi nọ rria deghẹ u na gha mu ẹmwẹ ukhuegbe ruẹ roro. Vbene ẹmwata, e Baibol wa guan kaan ukhuegbe nọ maan ọghe ikpia kevbe ikhuo nibun. Usun iran na keghi re Sera, e Rekiẹl, Abigẹl, e Josẹf, kevbe Devid. E Baibol khare wẹẹ okhuo ọkpa na tiẹre Abisag wa gha “mose ẹsẹse.”—1 Ọba 1:4.

Vbọrhirhighayehẹ, igbama nibun keghi wa kpokpo egbe ba ẹmwẹ ukhuegbe. Ọna sẹtin zẹ ẹbe. Muẹn roro:

• Vbe asẹ ọkpa, ivbialeke 58 eso vbuwe 100, na gha roro ẹre wẹẹ, iran kpọlọ gbe sokpan vbe a ghi gele ghee ẹre, 17 kẹkan ẹre ọ ghaa kpọlọ vbọ.

• Vbe ẹghẹ ọvbehe, ivbialeke 45 eso vbuwe 100 na gha roro ẹre wẹẹ, iran kpọlọ gbe sokpan vbene ẹmwata te iran wa ye fẹghẹẹ!

• Rhunmwuda wẹẹ iran hoo ne iran siamẹ, igbama nibun keghi khuọnmwi emiamwẹ ọghe ẹko nẹi gua evbare. A ya ohanmwẹ gbe egbe ọmwa keghi si emiamwẹ na, nọ sẹtin gbe ọmwa rua.

 Adeghẹ u mwẹ egbe ọlọghọmwa na giere na, gualọ iyobọ. Vbe okaro, gu evbibiẹ ruẹ ra enọwanrẹn ọvbehe ne u gu obọ re guan. E Baibol khare wẹẹ: “Avbe ọse ghi gha rhie ahoẹmwọmwa ma vbe ẹghẹ hia, ẹdẹ oseghe ọre a ye etẹn khẹ.” —Itan 17:17.

Vbene ẹmwata, ekhọe ọre ose. Vbe igiemwi, gia ghee ẹre, aro ọmwa ne Absalọm ne ovbi Ọba e Devid ghaa khin. E Baibol khare wẹẹ:

“A ma vbe miẹn orhiọnkpa vbe Izrẹl ne a gha ya gie Absalọm vbe ose. . . . Okan rhọkpa i vbe rrọ ọre egbe.”—2 Samuẹl 14:25.

Ọrheyerriọ, ọmwa itengbemu kevbe ọmwa isọtẹ ẹre iren ghaa khin! Rhunmwuda ọni, e Baibol ma zẹdẹ ta ẹmwẹ Absalọm nọ maan; ọ giẹre zẹvbe ọmwa ọyọmwadẹ ne ekhue i mu, kevbe ọmwa ikhẹko kevbe ọmwa nọ mwẹ ekhọe izigha.

Ọna ẹre ọ siẹre ne Baibol na rhie ibude na ne ima:

‘Wa mu akpa ọghe ọgbọn yọ.’—Kọlose 3:10.

“Wa ghẹ gha ya emwi itegbe te egbe ne uwa ba miẹn ehe na gha mose . . . , sokpan, ọ kere ne ose uwa gha re ọghe ekhọe.”—1 Pita 3:3, 4.

Agharhemiẹn wẹẹ, ẹi re emwi dan deghẹ a hoo na gha mose, sokpan emwi nọ ru ekpataki sẹ ọre uyinmwẹ ọmwa. Vbene ẹghẹ ya khian, uyinmwẹ ruẹ ẹre ọ khian mobọ ye emwa gha si ruẹ kẹ egbe, ẹi re ukhuegbe ruẹ! Ovbialeke ọkpa na tiẹre Phylicia khare wẹẹ “Ose ẹre emwa ka wa rherhe bẹghe, sokpan vbene ekhọe ruẹ ye hẹ kevbe uyinmwẹ esi ọghuẹ ẹre emwa mobọ yerre sẹ vbe a gha mu ẹmwẹ ruẹ rre.”

Ẹko rriara ruẹ vbe ẹghẹ hia ra, rhunmwuda vbene ukhuegbe ruẹ ye hẹ ra? Ohu egbe ruẹ mobọ mu ruẹ vbe u gha ghee vbene u ye hẹ ra?

Uwẹ he ka muẹn roro ẹdẹ, deghẹ ne u ya ori bolo egbe, ra ne u ya ohanmwẹ gbe egbuẹ, ne u mieke na gha mwẹ ukhuegbe nọ maan ra?

Ọ kpa guẹ ru, de emwi ne u gha te fi werriẹ vbe egbe ruẹ? (Sẹ ako lẹgaa enọ khin vbọ.)

• UTANMWẸ

• UKPỌLỌMWẸ

• ETO

• UKHUEGBE

• UGBARO

• ẸMU ỌGHE EGBE

Adeghẹ ẹẹn ọre ewanniẹ ruẹ vbe inọta nokaro kevbe nogieva, kevbe deghẹ u na sẹ ako lẹgaa emwi eha ra nọ gberra vberriọ vbe inọta nogieha, yerre wẹẹ: Ẹi wa re aro ne uwẹ ya ghee egbuẹ, ẹre emwa ọvbehe ya ghee ruẹ. Adeghẹ u na gha kpokpo orhiọn gbe ba ẹmwẹ ukhuegbe, banbanna u khian gberra uwu nẹ.—1 Samuẹl 16:7.