Blog

Feb 18, 2023 06:00am

Be Real

16563 Views

If you have the privilege of being around a teenager in 2023, you might have heard about an app called BeReal. Promoted as “not another social network” it is, well, another social network where users are notified once per day, in a two-minute window at a random time, to post one picture of their “real” life. The camera is set up to simultaneously take a selfie and a frontal photo so friends can see what you are really up to.

No time to set up a cool background or pose or get somewhere more interesting.

No filters.

Just an in-the-real-world post. And then, of course, react to your friends’ pics and comment and do all the “social” things that keep users coming back for more.

At least that’s the way I understand it, and I am intrigued. So are 73.5 million users.

Maybe the developers of this app are on to something.

I’m wondering if a shift is happening in our culture. Maybe we are weary of all the fake posts, false info and filters? It seems obvious there is a war within our souls. We long to be real, but we surrender to the coverup.

We have a lot of fear surrounding “what ifs”. What if someone really does see me? The way I really am. What if they figure out I’m not as perfect or as pretty or as accomplished or as interesting as I project? Will I be rejected? Will I be ridiculed? Will I be canceled?

So our fear wins the day. Our pride stands up, deciding not to risk it, and “fake” continues to drive our society. Christian or not, everyone plays along.

But, IMO, it isn’t working.

Woven into our humanness is a desire to be fully and truly known — real. And yet, to still be loved.

How beautiful the good news of Jesus.

Jesus knows. And yet, Jesus still loves.

And He always has.

It should blow our finite minds to think of the creator God knowing our absolute reality, the good, the bad and the oh-so-ugly and then intentionally choosing to love us anyway.

He chose to love us anyway.

Not a typo. That single truth bears repeating!

His love is incredible and motivating and underestimated. Don’t ever believe God is not good. Don’t ever believe God does not love. He.is.love. He chose to love us long before we even existed.

And His love, despite knowing, continues to amaze me. His perfect love demolishes my fear and frees me to be real.

When I was a teenager, my youth pastor would often say, “God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way.” In my immaturity I thought if I just lived long enough, God would somehow, supernaturally transform me into super-Christian-woman and I would change the world.

As I’ve grown, I’ve learned God is most interested in a personal relationship that looks more like a partnership. By His spirit, He convicts and guides and changes me over time. He desires to know me. He wants to be present in my life and He wants to work within me to transform me.

God could zap me and instantly make me exactly who He wants me to be, but He doesn’t.

He involves me in the process of becoming more and more like Jesus.

He wants me to be real.

“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part you will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6

When was the last time you got deeply real with God? When was the last time you asked Him to show you blindspots, to uncover what you tend to cover up, to strip the filters off your life and bring the yuck to the surface?

Even in over 30 years of being a Christian, I’m still a work in progress.

There is tremendous freedom in getting real with God. Realness is truth and truth sets people free and freedom is good and goodness brings great joy. God wants the absolute best for you. He wants to work with you, not against you, to bring wholeness and strength to your life. But, you have to be willing to be exposed. To dig deep. To pray and confess and change your mind.

Begin today by asking God to search your heart and to examine the hidden parts. We need to see the truth…with no filter. Just the truth. Then, ask Him to change you from the inside out. No filter needed.

My prayer today for myself and for you is found in Psalm 51:7-12,

“Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones you have broken may rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit”

Amen.