You know I often wonder why we as Christians think it is okay to put forth fake images of ourselves. It seems that we only want to act Christ like when it's convenient for us. We seem to think that we can fool most people; when in reality we truly fool no one but ourselves into thinking that 'no one knows the truth'. If you really stop and think about it you are only tricking yourself. God knows EVERYTHING about you! Your thoughts, your dreams, your intent. Nothing we do is hidden from Him. Yet we try to hide our true selves from everyone else. I once read that the true you comes out when no one else is around. I must say that the majority of us would probably be ashamed if we thought certain people were around when our true side comes out.
People have always said that you never really know someone until you live with them. But honestly, how many of us have lived with people and never really known them. Speaking from past experiences you can live with someone for 20 years and NEVER know them. People are great deceivers. We only let you know what we want you to know and nothing more. Can you imagine what life would be like if we had no secrets, or hidden aspects of our lives. Imagine living without the stress of wondering, does she know, or did they find out. I could write a book with the things I know about people, but what would the use in that be if they themselves wish to deny it.
One of the sad parts of this is that there are probably a lot of people who would love to come clean about their lives, but we as Christians can be so judgemental that we keep them from it. Growing up a preachers daughter, I can tell you that Christians, especially Baptists, are some of the most gossiping, cruel, judgementalist on the planet. If someone does choose to confide some of their hidden secrets, we can't even let the dial tone sound on the phone before we are calling someone else to tell them what we heard. And it's not just ordinarly church goers, it preachers and pastors as well.
I am as guilty as the next person. I am by no means innocent. There are a great many things I have done that I have lied about and have tried to hide. I wish that there were a way to go back and change things, to be able to do it differantly somehow. I have also been on the opposite end of the spectrum. I know all to well how it feels to have people critisice and judge you when they really do not know the facts. I guess we are all guilty in one way or another. It is disheartening when I stop and think about it and I realize that there is no way to change the past, but thankfully there is hope for changing the future. It took me awhile to realize that I can only change me, not everyone else.
Jeremiah 23:24 says, "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD."
And yet we still seem to think that we can hide.
