You are messed up! (Well, so am I.)

Photo Credit

What do you see when you look in the mirror? What do you see when you put away all the masks we use to hide who we really are? When you look into the reflection do you like what you see?

We go to such great lengths to hide who we are, the "me" I don't want anyone else to see. We buy things we don't want, go places we don't care to go, wear "brands" that cost more than you make in a day, buy things for our kids so they won't feel left out, drive cars we can't afford, all to project an image to the world that we think people will like and respect. We hide behind masks to feel loved and valued. This isn't a "woman" issue. It's not a teenager issue. It's the reality of the world we live in. 

We are, subtly and no-so subtly, told over and over again in any given day that you are not enough: not smart enough, not skinny enough, not strong enough, not rich enough, not enough for any standard. What is our answer? Hide. We hide our failures...the one's you hope and pray no one finds out about. We hide our fears, our loneliness, our insecurities and present an image that looks pretty on the outside. 

We acknowledge that we don't have it together, but only a little bit. No one wants to be the "goody two shoes." So you let people know that money is tight, but you're still planning a big trip to Disney so that no one will find out how tight it really is...even your children (the world is capitalizing on this now...I saw an ad recently for a "vacation loan!"). You let people know that you don't get along with your spouse all the time, hiding the fact that you're terrified they might leave you any day. You say that your kids are giving you fits, hiding the fact that you're scared that something deeper may be going on in their lives. You acknowledge that you struggle with lust, hiding that pornography has a death grip on you and you have no idea how to get out. 

We hide because we don't want people to see the real me. 

1. God loves you. I know this sounds cliche and you've heard it said before, but please please please don't lose sight of this. You may not love you. Those around you may not love you. God has never stopped loving you from before you were even you. 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1a)

2. Yes, you are messed up. I have news for you. So am I. So is every friend, family member, and co-worker you have. Jesus wants to take care of that. Jesus wants to set you free. Sometimes we hide the circumstances that we have no control over. Sometimes we hide our sin and the consequences of our sin. How much freedom would we and those around us experience if we embraced the freedom that Jesus gives!

Hiding behind masks robs us of the intimacy that our Heavenly Father wants to have with us. Masks rob us of the ability to experience the intimacy with other people that we want. We all want to be fully known and to be loved anyway. Masks steal that away from us. Masks rob us of intimacy with ourselves. Our masks cause us to become imprisoned and cause us to hate who we are and resent those who appear to be becoming what we want. 

If you are a Christian, YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD! He has adopted you as sons and daughters. You are royalty. You are of more worth than gold. It doesn't matter if you believe it or not, it is true. He loved you first. 

Tim Keller recently wrote in his book "Galatians for You":

Because of the gospel of Christ crucified, Paul says, I do not feel inferior to or intimidated by anyone... And because of the gospel, I do not feel superior to or scornful of anyone...

If we would begin to believe that, we would find true freedom.