Picture Day

Today was picture day. Parents take extra care to make sure their children look more than presentable. Teachers and staff look extra beautiful or handsome. Everyone is taking note on how they appear. Putting their best face forward. These pictures will forever be part of the school's history. Years from now these pictures will be available for all to see.

This morning before coming to work I took extra time to put on make-up. I typically don't wear make-up. I just never got into the routine of it. As I was standing in front of the mirror I started to chuckle. Here I am putting make-up to take a picture that when seen by strangers will think I look like this all the time. I wasn't representing my everyday appearance. I was putting up a "better" version of myself. Covering blemishes, wrinkles(I can't believe I've reached the age of wrinkles!), dark circles and anything that is imperfect. I started to think about how I can be that way in my Christian walk.

Now I can never fool God. He knows me better than I know myself. But I can put up a "better" version of myself to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I can paint a bright vibrant picture on top of a dim gray image. Most if not all of us are very good hiders. We put out what we want to be seen and suffer silently in a dark corner. We bury our true nature so deep that it would take years to dig out. We do this constantly, but why?

For me, personally, I think it's because we have been hurt in the past. And if the person who hurt us was a brother or sister in Christ the wound is doubled salted. There are even times when an entire church has turn its back on a person. We have hurt each other and the result has been a wounded, detached and distrusting bride.

There is good news! God is our Healer and he can heal us if we allow Him too. We need to surrender the pain of the past and trust Him to heal our hearts so that we can allow others in.

I'm not suggestion that you tell everyone your business, but God will put people in your path that are there to help without judgment. We need each other. We can't go through life thinking "I can carry this pain alone". It will bury us alive. We need to be courageous enough to take that step of healing. He will turn that dim gray image into a marvelous light, His light.

Healing is a process and it will take time. Trusting at first will be hard but God will guide you to the right people. There will be a time when you can "take a picture" with the make-up off!

"Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth His word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave."
Psalm 107:19-20