Who Are You?

This is me. I like to refer to this look as 'au naturel'. No make up, no fancy hair. Gray roots are showing. I have dark circles around my eyes. I have splotchy skin.


I don't usually allow people to see me this way. Only the 'safe' people in my life get to see me in this state. When I say safe people, I mean the people in my life who I know will not reject me. The people who will love me unconditionally and not judge me by my appearance.



This look is analogous with the 'real me' with all of my flaws and imperfections. The person that I won't typically allow others to see for fear of judgement or rejection.



The real me has had many difficult times in her marriage.

The real me has experienced great pain.

The real me loses her patience with her children daily.

The real me struggles with self esteem issues.

The real me sometimes gets depressed.

The real me has a son who is gay.
The real me gets lonely.

The real me has struggled with addiction.

The real me....









This is me too. I clean up pretty good, huh? With make up, I effectively cover up the dark circles around my eyes, give my cheeks some color, darken up my eyelashes. Since I haven't taken time to dye it yet, I straighten my hair and style it in such a way so as to hide the gray roots. Throw on a smile and voila! I appear to look better, younger, happier, healthier.


This is comparable to the person you would see in church. I'll call her the church me.


The church me will smile and pretend that all is well.

The church me will tell you she's fine, thanks for asking.

The church me will tell you her kids are doing great.

The church me will talk about all of the good things God has done in her life.

The church me likes the acceptance she gets from people for being such a wonderful, well put together person.

The church me hides her real self because she fears if people knew the real her, they might judge her or shun her.



There are people in this world, in our towns, in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces who are hurting and need to see and feel the love of God (the one and only true God) who knows the 'real' them and loves them anyway. Unfortunately, many of 'those people' won't go to church because they see all of the church people with their masks on pretending that they have it all together. (Only the people who have it all together should be in church, right?!)

They're afraid that if they go to church, they will be judged and rejected. And, they're probably right. I've seen it happen! Shouldn't the people of the church be 'safe' people--accepting the hurting people of the world because we realize our brokenness as sinners in a fallen world?

I want to be a part of the church that doesn't reject the hurting, struggling people, but embraces them and welcomes them because there is HOPE for everybody and church is exactly where they need to be.



As Christmas approaches, my prayer is for the broken--that they would know that Jesus came and died just for them. That they would feel comfortable in God's house, worshipping with all of us other sinners. That they will be embraced by the family of God.