When we are self-focused, looking "inside ourselves" for truth
and using what we see there as the baseline of our reality, we will see either
a saint or a villain; the wisest person on earth or the stupidest. Since we
never get a clear picture of the real "us", due to the fluctuation we
experience on a daily basis our view of reality gets distorted. We seek to be
praised to cover-up an exposed insecurity and shame opposed to understanding
our shame is normal and God has removed that from us, instead of gratitude, we
seek something else. A vile exchange transpires, soon we become so confused and
lost that we give up trying to figure out who we really are and create an
"avatar" to project to the world. We dig deep into what we wish we
really were like and then try and pretend to be that kind of person. Some of us
have been doing this for a very long time already--this is why we have fewer
and fewer authentic and healthy relationships. But let us be reminded we are
all fully known and yet still, fully loved. Its okay to air out some dirty
laundry, that closet isn't a closet to God, and skeletons and roaches aren't
concealed from the gaze of the almighty. He stands there armed to the teeth as
the divine exterminator ready to hall the skeletons out in caskets and
exterminate the roaches with incredulous efficiency, attention to detail is not
lacking when Jesus is let in to these closets of shame. He removes, heals and
walks out as if the closet had been clean the whole time and nothing out of the
ordinary was amiss.
Once we become aware we have a problem
we begin to seek solutions in temporary fixes or allusions of beautiful
retreats away from the confines of difficult daily living, yet we don't
really know what we want, for we wont know real beauty until we have faces that
properly mirror that glory that we all in some way shape or form seek after.
And what the holy spirit reveals to us is an awakening and newborn desire to be
brought into the community of the blessed Trinity; to become one with the
infinite and blend in with the maker who spoke into existence the cosmos.
However a redemptve plan had to take place for this newborn
spiritual desire to take root in our hearts.The composition of the trinity was
forever altered when Jesus came in disguise. Moved by mercy, He removed the
insignia of his majesty, to be found without form or majesty, but not so in
power, this is what Paul is referring to when He says "his body is weak
but his words are strong" Worldly fluctuations in appearance and form is
not what is real. What is unseen (thoughts, emotions, feelings) is more the
real in the sense than what is seen, for our faces can mask emotions, we can
lie, in Gods presence, those transformed faces cannot, indeed because they wish
not too, every irrational thought and desire is done away with and we are known
as we've always been known, naked before God, perfect beauty instead of
concealed shame. In a way I see this as a false image we put on. An avatar so
to speak. Lets all keep in mind that, while emotions are real, they are
undependable, unreliable, inconsistent, and they change from one moment to
another, often rapidly. Making decisions entirely based off emotions is like
allowing a drunk to get behind the wheel of a school bus.--the bus will be all
over the road and it isn't going to turn out well for anyone. Emotions should
have a 'seat' on the bus, just not the drivers seat. The #1 antidote for living
life based on the emotions we feel, is to remind ourselves: feelings are real!
They just aren't fact. This is what I feel but this is what is true. This
struggle will go on for most of our lives. For we all wage war, well those
fighting the good fight wage war, others are succumbing to the irrational
animalistic side of their nature. The spiritual being that is the 'real you' is
incarcerated inside a wordly shell of false emotions. Like an acorn seed
itself, it cannot grow unless watered (by the word) and transformed into what
it was created to be. Germinate! We all must poke our heads outside the topsoil
into that which is real life and continue to ask for the healing rays of the
sunshine and bask in the fresh rain of the divine comforter. Without which we
shall surely perish.
Now back to my idea of the "avatar", this
front or pretense we put on, begins to get phonier, more false, more
unauthentic, more selfish and more demanding. As a result we become
disillusioned and less personable. This avatar (false image) becomes an idol.
Preserving the image demands and receives more and more of our attention, more
and more of our energy, more and more of our life. And we demand that others
help preserve the image, making them accomplices in our identity crises. If
others do not co-operate, then our internally -focused, self absorbed sense of
entitlement causes us to spiral down into depression, bitterness and even more.
For we become more embittered when we watch people interact with the avatar
(because we are safely hidden behind it) all the while knowing in our heart
that the people who like and enjoy the avatar don't really like and enjoy us.
We maintain this pattern as we strive to preserve a situation we have created
that brings us the opposite of what we should really be after because we are
acting like a someone, or thing, contrary to what the divine maker intended for
us--authentic vulnerability---a true lasting fellowship with no crutches of
deceit. For any other result, ends in us being less real, less seen, less
liked, less connected and we end up with so much less than what God really
intends for us to want and need. "Facebook, Instagram, to me are prime
examples of avatars". Not that these social networking sites are
inherently bad, many times we just build up an inauthentic image we don't
like tarnished. But when we are rooted in Christ, the doing flows naturally
from the being. Here's an example: a peach tree never thinks "Iv'e got to
grow peaches, I've got to grow peaches!" It just grows peaches, because
that is what a peach tree--is, so long as it is watered and properly pruned (In
this case by the word of God). Our being "in christ" will naturally
flow"with the doing (fruits of the holy spirit).
When we focus our attention on Christ and what He believes
about us, that we are his "poima" according to the Greek, Paul's use
of the word "workmanship" is actually "masterpeice"
or living breathing poem, created anew in Christ Jesus, so all those good
things he originally planned for us could be our way of life. Not an identity
that is inwardly focused on trivial things. Yet a living breathing authentic
representation of Gods work. A masterpiece from the hand of the creator. There
is inherent worth and honor in being His "poema" or poem. And
responsibility as well. For being His "visible expression" means we
need to prayerfully seek to have a solid hold on our inherent worth, and find
it in Christ, based on what He has already done for us, not based on anything
this world says about you to be true. Spoiler alert! its all a lie. God sent
his most valuable possession to made a mockery of, spit beaten and staked to a
tree all so you could understand how valuable you being made in Gods image
really signifies. And its better, ohh far better and more inconceivable than
anything you could possibly ever imagine and know. For just as the master
artisian seeks to express His heart and mind through his work so the Creator
seeks to express His heart and mind through you.
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