I posed for a picture with my girls. Of course, I prefer pictures to be taken from a distance and for someone to be standing in front of me. My sister was the photographer and I asked her to just send the picture to me. I was pleasantly surprised when I received the picture. My make-up looked good. In fact, I looked much younger. Fast forward a few minutes later when my sister casually mentioned that she had used some filters on my face. “Really? Which part did you use the filter on?” She replied, “I didn’t change a lot. I only erased the bags under your eyes. I took away the wrinkles around your eyes. I enhanced your lips. I gave you fuller, longer eyelashes. And only a little more lipstick and blush.” I just looked at her. There was nothing else left to change about my face.
Then I asked the question that should have never been asked—“Can I see the original picture?” Oh my goodness!
The truth is not always pretty.
How many times have I told my impressionable teenage daughters not to fall for the lies on television and social media? This is not reality. They use filters. They write perfect narratives. They only post the good things.
I do not want the Enemy to tell my girls the lie that everyone else has perfect lives. Everyone else lives without problems. Everyone else only experiences happy times.
Yet, I will find myself comparing our ministry and our lives to other people all of the time. This ministry has more finances…. This mother has it all together…. They are grieving so much better….. This leader never has problems…. This family is complete…..
However, the game of comparison is such a subtle tool of the Enemy to cause us to live in defeat. To stall. To question our value. To doubt our worth. To worry about the future.
The reality is that I am not guaranteed tomorrow. I have the privilege to live everyday to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. My greatest priority is my daughters. It is ok to grieve on my timeline. We have immense joy in our lives. We have tremendous sorrow in our lives. I choose to serve exactly where my feet are. I live by grace everyday.
And the reality is….I have wrinkles. I wear whatever doesn’t need ironing. My make-up routine takes two minutes with time to spare.
But I am grateful to serve a God who sees the real me. No filters needed. No comparison to others. Only unconditional love, mercy, and grace.
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