My eyes have recently turned to social media in a new way, thanks to a Matt Chandler sermon. He mentioned how social media is a great way to portray only the “best” or most attractive parts about your life. This hit home! How easy it is, indeed, for me to snap a picture when Greg and I are on a date and a happy one, at that! The caption would most likely read, “Out on a date with my beloved! Loving life with him!” or something equally as warm and fuzzy. However, on a different date night, when one fight seems to lead to the next, and I’m having trouble forgiving him because he did the unthinkable and parked too far away from the restaurant….well, let’s say I’m not eager to pull out my phone and let Facebook-world know how unrighteously upset I am.

Because I know I’m wrong. I know I’m sinning. I know I’m being unnecessarily crabby.

Furthermore, I don’t want other people to know my junk.

I post what I want, when I want. I show you pictures only of what I want to show you pictures of. It is so easy for me to simply display what’s looking good in my life: a clean house, cute kid, a sunny day at the park, a funny moment that makes others laugh, a great quote, how much I love my husband or a friend, the flowers given to me on my birthday. There is something inside me that wants to brag about the “good-looking” stuff and hide the ugly stuff. Sound familiar? I don’t jump off the couch to show you the 5 loads of laundry on our bedroom floor, the 2 poopy diapers & pee-covered rug, the “haven’t washed my hair in 5 days” look, the tearful collapse after a trying day, the most recent fight with my husband, the occasional longings for a different set of circumstances. The “ugly” stuff doesn’t get displayed. Why?

Well, first of all, I’m sure you don’t want or need to see the diapers I change, or any other unnecessarily gross things that come my way. There’s just some basic wisdom about online posting and what you choose to share.

Also, we need to acknowledge that there is a correct context for sharing your “junk” (the kind that has nothing to do with bodily fluids of young children). Being fully & truly known does not happen over the internet, nor should it. It happens as you live life honestly & openly in relationship with other people. Even within our relationships, few people get to our inner circle and know the true nitty gritty of our souls.

There’s good, though, in searching out the why in my tendency to hide the mess and promote the good-looking. I think Genesis 3 gives us a good idea why I hide the ugly, and why you may hide your ugly. Preface: Adam and Eve just sinned for the first time against God. They ate what they were told not to eat. They desired to be like God. This is the entrance of sin into a perfect world. Let’s read:

“Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:7-8, ESV)

Here is some of my ugly. I have hidden because I have sin and I know it, and sometimes I am ashamed. I hide because I want others to think well of me. I hide because I care more about people’s opinions of me than I care about the Lord’s. I hide because I forget. I forget that as God’s daughter, I need no fig leaves to cover my nakedness or shame because I wear white robes of righteousness given to me by Jesus. My eyes drop from Jesus and get consumed with others around me.

Oh Jesus, it’s so simple when my gaze is fixed on you!

In the spirit of honesty and unashamed living, though I know you will not fully or truly know me in Facebook world, I would like to welcome you to my living room on a Friday afternoon. Come as you are! See how we live!

 

I think that plate holds the remains of breakfast from at least 7 hours ago!

I am not a perfect Christian, wife, mother, housekeeper, cook, women’s ministry leader, or woman. Far from it! I apologize for any ways I have tried to portray myself as such. However, let me take this moment to remember what is true, and listen in if you’d like.

In the midst of my flaws, I AM God’s daughter, perfectly righteous in his eyes, and I’m being made into Christ-likeness day after day as I abide in Christ and choose obedience to Him. Yes, I fail, just as my daughter currently fails at walking over objects in her path. And yes, I have a good Father, who picks me up when I fall, dusts me off, sets me on my feet, holds my hand, and tells me to keep going, and that He always walks with me.

I don’t need to stress about the ways I fail. Jesus perfectly succeeded where I did not. For me. On my behalf.

I don’t need to hide when I sin. Jesus bought me forever-right-ness with God. My current sin does not and can never touch my perfect right-ness. I can never lose my standing as his beloved daughter, pure and perfect before him.

I don’t need to strive to sin less, or to be better at (fill in the blank). I am not the fruit producer; I am a branch. I am to abide in Jesus, the vine, who will produce the fruit through me. I rest. I lean into Jesus. I pray. I run to him when I fail. I listen to his voice. I do life with my Father who delights in me.

“You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” -Isaiah 26:3