(Spoiler Alert: Because you’re wrong! Three times!) You’re welcome! Good luck!
He was hilarious, the way he screwed up his lips and tried oh so carefully to hit the correct BASS and not TENOR note at the community harmony choir last night.
He had a neck tattoo and otherwise was a teensy bit “tough” or “scary looking.”
But he was singing his heart out about a snowflake in winter, and his concentration, bent over the songbook, made him oblivious to those around him, who were staring at him.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!
And to be clear, when I say he was “scary looking,” I mean he was to OTHERS! I NEVER assume to know someone’s heart by their EXTERIORS! PLEASE!
However, the comedian we watched the previous night, Shayne Smith, also had neck tattoos and complained that people judged him because of this. “People always assume I was in a gang!” he ranted. Well, he WAS in a gang for a while, we learned later that night, but what was THE POINT?
Oh yes, the point is that:
People may not be EXACTLY who you think they are!
And if I’m honest, I will often scratch my head and wonder who I am when I look in the mirror.
For example, we once had some youth over for dinner. The youth looked at our wedding photograph taken twenty-five years ago and scratched their heads asking, “Who in the WORLD are those people in the photo?”
Obviously, it’s us!
Obviously, we look EXACTLY like we did back then! Everyone knows that! Or maybe everyone doesn’t know that.
People mislead themselves all day long . . . We dupe ourselves in order to deceive others, creating social advantage.1
Scientific American -Living a Lie: We Deceive Ourselves To Better Deceive Others
Perhaps I don’t even know myself as much as I think I should!
And so you may not be EXACTLY who you think you are, either.
And if we’re wrong about others and even wrong about ourselves (I, at least, can admit to being wrong about myself ONCE, for example), maybe we’re wrong about God too.
Jesus is not who we expected him to be, either, actually.
Maybe God is not a mean ogre in the sky, waiting to zap you for your misdemeanors.
Maybe Jesus got off his throne in heaven and suffered pain and rejection on earth to have a shot at wooing you. Perhaps his body and his heart broke and are breaking for your return love of Him. Maybe every thought you have about God that is tied up neatly with a bow is wrong.
And so why give Jesus another chance this season?
Well, the answer to that question is obvious!
(1) You were wrong about others,
(2) You’re wrong about yourself,
THEREFORE
(3) You’re probably wrong about Jesus, too, if you’re honest!
The prayer that precedes all other prayer is, may the real me meet the real you
As the song below sings, “come to Me all you weary,” consider asking Jesus what you may believe about Him that isn’t, in fact, true. And may Holy Spirit help you to “lay down your head,” so He can “give you rest” as you “leave your cares,” this season, friend. God, help us to hear Your whispers of truth about ourselves, others and You, we pray.
Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!
Photo Credit – Got Time For Another Look? by Anna Keibalo on Unsplash
1 Huh? THAT part is DEFINITELY wrong! Please!
Restoring Life 