This is not a Beyonce hating article so please don’t email me. It is however a wake up call for me and hopefully for you too. When I saw the video I thought–Women don’t run the world. Men do-or shall I say a spirit that hates women runs the world (some men and women simply partner with it). Here’s why. When women do certain things to get attention its often not for other women. For example I don’t need to see another woman greased up in baby oil. I don’t need to see her cleavage. I don’t need to see her feeling on another woman in a music video. I don’t need to see her crawling around on the floor. That does absolutely nothing for me. It does however do something for men so who’s really running the show? Because it does something for men–some women work really hard to keep up with this image. It’s no secret women have an innate desire to be captivating. We should! It’s a God given desire. God is beautiful and He gave this gift of beauty to us, after all we too are made in His image. Its obvious He placed His beauty in nature and in women. Look at the lilies of the field, waterfalls, sunsets. These things don’t have to work hard to be noticed or alter themselves in any way to be beautiful. Why? Because they are beautiful, just as they are, just as He made them, just as He is.

Women were Born to be Captivating

For years, visual media has fed us an image of Eve that is far beneath God’s original intent. Trust me, someone other that God is influencing art that belittles Eve, degrades Eve, calls her a bad bitch instead of a warrior princess. We’ve forgotten our name, who’s we are, what our beauty and power is for. Instead we’re clamoring for attention, demanding that we be recognized instead of being recognizable in His image. Growing up, my young soul tired of women constantly being exploited in music videos. And then if that wasn’t bad enough, female rappers like Lil’ Kim happened and women began to partner with the spirit that hated her so. I guess the thinking was–”If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em. If you can’t get them to respect your natural beauty, become comfortable with their definition and while you’re at it–get that money.” I can’t help but wonder, did it really make women feel better seeing other women exploit themselves? Were we pleased with other women influencing little girls to drop it low? Were these the responsible nurturing mothers of culture our parents hoped for? I think not. But proudly we were the ones talking dirty. We were the ones spread eagle with all of our power on display. The Truth is ladies we were hoodwinked, bamboozled. Gotcha!

Why have we fallen off in entertainment culture? At times we’re so gosh darn classy. Other times we’re “real” housewives or wanna be wives. I think we err in that we’re trying to captivate fallen men, men who don’t think the way God thinks, men who aren’t interested in protecting God’s image in Eve. Sadly so many men don’t see Eve as bone of His bone. They see her as a disposable commodity. I guess that’s why our degradation is simply, okay. Whether men are fallen or not, we’ve perverted our own beauty. Cheapened it instead of upholding a standard. It’s time for change.

We were never designed to compromise our inner or outer beauty for love, money or access. Most of us bought the lie that this image, this ideal of the sexy, sassy, hardened, I don’t need a man boss was to be emulated. And believe me, I get it. It’s hard out here for women and disrespect can make you feel rotten inside. But if we want to be powerful, really powerful we must not let this spirit that hates Eve lead us to the slaughter but instead stand against it. Pursue purity. Be beautiful. Healed, whole, classy. Ladies define class by God’s standards. Don’t do what the songs are telling you to do. Don’t even let it into your heart. Don’t let the anger you feel towards men callous your heart. Resist it with all your beautiful might. Learn to recognize it and call it what it is. Whatever you do–don’t call it a hit. Don’t retweet it, don’t facebook it, don’t download it. Don’t celebrate it and don’t, please DON’T make excuses for it.

Beauty Redefined

As for B’s latest video the reviews have been mixed. Why? After all, its Beyonce and she is undeniably, well-Beyonce! Could it be that something within us all is just tired of the same ‘ol, same ‘ol? Could it be we wanted her or someone like her to break the mold and give us a different definition of what it means to truly run the world as women? Call me old fashioned but I prefer Latifah’s “Ladies First.” It just made me feel better. We’re confused about who we are I think. Its the reason Keri Hilson, bless her Beautiful heart made Pretty Girls Rock and then turned right around and made Way You Love Me. I guess her point was women are more than one dimensional creatures??  If we care to embrace God’s standards, there are some things a lady (ahem–excuse me, a wife doesn’t discuss publicly). Adjust yourself to His standards if you dare. If not, go ahead and partner with the identity you’ve been partnering with. Its your choice. IT’S WITHIN YOUR POWER. Like Lauryn said years ago “Don’t be a hard rock when you really are a gem.”

It’s not about the beat

In closing, its not about the beat of the latest song or how dope the lighting or video direction is but the images and the words. I blog on the side but I make television for a living so trust me when I tell you, its all game. We make magic, create illusions, guide your eyes to look at whatever we want you to look at. We assign value to things with our camera lenses and you adopt a belief system around it. Trust me, its psychology in its highest form. And whatever influences us as producers is what will influence you if you let it. What’s influenced you over the past 10-15 years? What’s influenced your wardrobe, your definition of strength, your definition of beauty and power? I guess that’s why The Purple Sky is here–to remind you that you are powerful, beautiful daughters, born for dominion in Him. We represent a spirit that doesn’t hate Eve. I don’t know. Maybe that sounds arrogant. Or maybe that sounds powerful. Maybe that’s just beautiful for real.