Getting Real

People are a lot like onions with layers and layers to who we are.  The deeper others go, the more the tears flow, both theirs and ours.  I guess most people hold back because of fear of what other people would think if they only knew what we are really like. 

We are comfortable going a couple of layers deep, telling what we do for a living and giving our family stats (married, four kids, a dog, a cat, and a hamster).  We feel comfortable talking about the shows we watch (Oh yeah, I wonder who's going to replace Jacob, too, on Lost!  And on 24, who would have ever thought it was the Russians behind the near-nuclear attack on New York City!  Jack against the Russians...again!)  The weather's a no-brainer easy thing to throw out when there's awkward silence, too...(Hasn't this just been beautiful weather!  Man we got a lot of snow!  Boy it's hot!  Boy its cold!  Yeah, global warming has been great for Wichita Falls!) 

But the stuff that we struggle with, man, who wants to air that dirty laundry?  We think, "Yeah, I'm depressed, but who wants to hear that!  That's real stuff, but who would be my friend with such a heavy problem?"

Oh, it gets heavier - lots heavier.  What about the history we carry around with us, the stuff that eats our lunch every day.  Hidden child abuse, hidden addictions, hidden crimes, that we've grown thick layer upon layer of calloused conscience over. 

If we could just see what God sees, how many maimed, wounded, injured, and bleeding people would pass by us in the church halls, cracking a smile and saying, "Everything's going good!"  Fat leaches of struggles are hanging down, and we talk about the weather and what we're going to have for lunch!  Some of our friends would look like Jacob Marley's ghost carrying thick prison chains through the crowds of God's people.  Just picture it:  mangled, diseased and held captive, all shaking hands and talking about how nice we look in our Sunday clothes! 

We are all so fake!  We put up a good front, hold back, and wonder what others would think of us if they only knew.  I think somewhere the church body bought the lie that we have to look perfect and act perfect and be all smiles so that everybody thinks we really are perfect!  Who's kidding who?  We all know ourselves and know how messed up we are, but we think we'll be viewed as backslidden freaks if we share even ONE of our struggles.  But to be honest, we are backslidden freaks when we have stuff to hide. 

It all comes down to Courage and Trust.  It takes courage to admit our wounds, failures, and insecurities.  It takes vulnerability and trusting to peel back the layers and bare our hearts to someone we know very little about.  But it's time to stop looking in the mirror and painting on the glass over what we see to make ourselves look better.  God didn't come to heal those who are well, but he came to heal those who are sick.  It's not that the Pharisees were really even well.  The pharisees were sick, but they pretended they were perfect and holy, and Jesus couldn't use them or heal them.  They were okay in their own eyes.  What about us?  Are we real with those we call our friends?  Or are we hurting inside, but acting like nothing is wrong?  I want real life.  Let's get it in our heads.  If we want God's best for us, we've got to get real.
--Johnie