Body Image is a Spiritual thing

Recently (last Sunday, actually) I heard our Pastor Wayne, a really tall man, tell the congregation that, as a boy, he was a target for bullying because of his size. Kids would tease him about anything, but especially his non-namebrand clothing, just to see if they could disturb him. If he did get upset, they would know that they had found a way to show their power over him.
Our bodies are our primary vehicle to express our spirit, in joy or in woundedness, in fullness or in or in fear. Childhood and youth, especially from the ages of 9 years on up, are the most vulnerable. The focus on social standing becomes the testing furnace of a child's confidence and belief in who they really are. The negative beliefs about ourselves and the relational wounds that we carry can all find links to these critical years.
The wise teacher will help children talk about diversity in race, in abilities, and in body shape. They will help children to express how it feels when teased about appearance, and they will help other children to empathize by asking questions like, "When you see someone who is teased or bullied, what have you thought it would be like if it happened to you?" or "What would these words mean to you in that situation?"
At the core of our spirituality lies a decision to either trust God's wisdom and unfailing love or to take matters into our own hands. Unless we have the grace to trust God, the issues in our lives can control us and lead us to lash out, to "medicate" to cover up, or to live in shame. The path of acceptance and courage, of faith and generosity in Spirit is a difficult path, and there many opportunities to choose to leave the way.
The painful truth is that most of these choices will be wrong choices until the deep inner belief changes. As long as a child or adult believes that there is something unacceptable about their bodies or their circumstances, they are likely to make the wrong choice. Perhaps this is why ancient scriptures say that this is not by our own strength. "But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love." Psalm 33:18 New International Version.