First of all I am very frightened of clowns…I really need to see their faces! Do you realize that the “perfect Christian” look is not bringing anyone closer to HIM, but has the opposite affect? I am a sinner, and I know my need for a savior everyday. But HE has been showing me that although people appear to be all together and like they have achieved the blameless walk, we all have sin. It breaks my heart that being honest in the body is least likely to be first and foremost. What would the outcome be if instead of answering the question “how are you?” that we answered in honesty; “this is a hard week”, “I am struggling with sin in my life”, “I need prayer”. Instead of the usual “okay”. I am not sure, but we may end up in a serious heartfelt prayer session where we lift up issues that we are all plagued with, and accountability partners that actually keep us accountable.
If I were an outside looking in, I would run from the truth and believe that I had to clean up my act on my own before coming to God. That is so far from the truth, and what it is all about! I love my Jesus because while I was still a sinner, HE died for me. I still hadn’t known HIM, or even slightly believed in HIM, and HIS love was demonstrated for me. Somehow, I believe that if we were to take off all the masks, we would find that we are more approachable to the lost, and HE would heal those things that we are hiding behind the masks. God is good, and what HE heals in one person in an instant, may take years for another, But HE alone knows the plans HE has for us. I wonder is HE cracking up looking at us wearing masks, HE sees right through, and is probably saying something like…”wha wha wha what!” ?
ponderings of a princess... 
Strangely related to some similar thoughts I had this morning.
Thanks Ric, love you post…seems like God is speaking and man I want to be listening!
I love that He wants up to come just as we are. And what I find amazing is that He always sees beyond our mask… even when we try to hide, we can’t hide from Him!
I wonder how we will act when we meet Him face to Face? I think I will spend the first 10% of eternity on my knees face down repeating “I’m sorry!”
We try so hard to ‘clean up our act’ and we don’t want to hear that all of our efforts are really a slap in the face of the one we are following. Like the pharisees, we try to clean the outside of the cup and whitewash the tomb…we are all a brood of vipers.
BAD! thats exactly what I don’t ever want to be! 😉
I just want to see His smile.
I’ve always imagined God’s smile!!
I don’t know what it is…..
I know i’ll be soaked with tears.. redemptive tears.
Love you princess
Papa, 10% of eternity? 😀
This is why I don’t ask passer-byers “How are you doing?” at church. I KNOW, for the most part, I will not get an honest answer. I feel like I’m encouraging them to lie or putting them in a tough position of deciding how to answer on a whim. And it’s ALL sad. I’ve written about this before too – and it gets to me the same Darla. People can SOOO see right through the facade. People don’t relate to make-believe perfection. It just doesn’t work.
Authenticity. I have not achieved this – but I long for it!
Darla, I’m late on this one, since I just found you a couple of days ago.
Vulnerability is hard because judgment usually follows. As you wrote on the next blog, people assume you aren’t doing something right. Life is hard and if we are always expected to put on a “happy face” then we can’t get real with one another.
I grew up under a theology of perfection and was taught God would not be happy with me if I didn’t get all my i’s dotted and my t’s crossed. It was a heavy weight to bear. Bad theology – not understanding the word – can really mess with our minds.
I guess what I’m trying to say – I’ve learned to mourn with those who mourn instead of always trying to make them smile. It feels more genuine to me. If we will accept people where they are, they might just start becoming vulnerable and get ‘real’ with themselves.