"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”" - 1 Samuel 16:7
Our species has always put too much emphasis on beauty. It can puff up, or it can bring low. If we are beautiful, it can produce a great amount of pride in our hearts. If we are ugly, and I speak from experience, it can make us feel rather awful. It doesn't help that especially in the modern age, beauty is thrust upon us as something to really be desired. We thrust forward really attractive people, making them celebrities, and telling them "this is the image you should aim for". If we look like these people, woohoo. If we don't? Somehow, even the most beautiful people feel quite disgusting.
As I said, I speak from experience, as I myself am not particularly attractive. Some women have even flat out admitted this is the reason they rejected me. On the flip side, I have many well-meaning friends who believe, as many Christians do, that because I am made in the image of God, I simply cannot be ugly. I'm either saying He is ugly, or saying He failed as a Creator. This message, however temporarily encouraging, is actually quite destructive.
To claim that all people are beautiful may sound nice, but it actually plays into the lie that beauty is valuable. Of course, in some ways, it is. God definitely gives it as a gift, such as when in Job 42:15, where Job is rewarded with daughters who are more beautiful than any other women in the land. But in that sense, so is money. Money is quite valuable. If you're rich, you can have nicer things, and if you're wise with it, you can have an easier life, even using it to bless other people. But just as we're not all rich, or even wise, so also are we not all beautiful.
This actually includes Jesus. When He came to the Earth, Isaiah tells us He had no beauty that we should desire Him. The people who passed Jesus in the streets probably didn't give Him a second glance until He started making waves during His ministry. I'll never understand the typical images we have of him as this strapping, usually quite ripped young man who could probably pull any girl He wanted. Of course, I have no doubt He looked after His body; He wouldn't have been permanently filthy, nor a fatty like me. But the chances are, you couldn't pick Him out of a crowd if you tried.
But who is more valuable than Jesus? He wasn't beautiful, but He is literally God incarnate. He is so precious that His very blood was enough to atone for the sins of billions of people throughout history, if only they will place their faith in Him. Yet He wasn't beautiful. So is it so bad if we aren't? Does it matter if we're constantly stalked by the Paparazzi? Does it matter if we don't keep up with the Kardashians? Does it matter if our crushes would rather stare at Tom Holland than us? Of course it doesn't. And I wish the world would understand that.
If you happen to be beautiful, God has given you a particular gift that He hasn't given to others. Ensure it does not puff you up, for Satan himself became proud of his beauty (Ezekiel 28:17). If God hasn't given it to you? Worry not; He has given you everything you need, and will continue to do so. For now, take heart. Your sins, if indeed you are faithful, have been forgiven, and God will make all things, yourself included, beautiful in the right time. Until then, rejoice in something far more valuable than anything on this Earth: Your name is written in Heaven (Luke 10:20).