I didn’t post anything on Heath Ledgers tragic death last week. I, like everyone else, was stunned at the news. To see a young life end so quickly and unexpectedly is hard to comprehend. Yet what I find so tragic is the reports after his death. It seemed like every web site, magazine and news paper were digging deeper and deeper into his life. Reports of drug use, insomnia, partying and depression were just a few that I read. Why do we do that? Why must we know that?
One of my favorite books is “Everybody’s Normal Until You Get to Know Them” by John Ortberg. I love his premise that we all come with an “as is” tag. It’s true. None of us are perfect. Hard as we may try to show that we are, we’re not. I don’t know about you, but trying to keep up the perfection is more tiring than simply admitting that I’m not perfect. What if, like “Cheers” we could go somewhere where everyone knows your name…and loves you anyway? What if there was a place where the masks weren’t required. If we could be who we are, see who others are? To know and be known. I wonder if it’s not our deepest desire.
I don’t know if that place exists. As long as we are human, we are prone to make assumptions, choose stereotypes and think we understand someone by getting a 30 second glimpse into their world. As long as we’re human, we all have one thing in common. We’re broken. While it may not show on the outside, on the inside we’re broken. We’re broken about something, for something, because of something or from something.
Lord, give us patience. Give us understanding. Forgive us for “not knowing what we do”. Your grace sees beyond our brokenness. Give us your eyes. Help us to extend your grace.
“No One Else Knows” by Building 429
I tell you what, life is stressful enough, without trying to “keep up the perfection!” The older I get, the more I am realizing to love myself for who I am–flaws and all–and to try to be real with people. I so thank the Lord that He loves me just as I am! Yes, I think we all have a “deep desire” to be able to go to some place where the masks aren’t required and everybody knows us and loves us anyway. Of course, I can’t help but think that the only true place like that is Heaven! Now that’s a place of love, acceptance, peace, and joy!
So, what do we do in the mean-time, huh–with our life down here? What comes to mind for me is to make sure I stay very connected to the One who truly loves and accepts me, and to be as real with others as I can be, while extending that grace and forgiveness to others with His help. Sometimes I have found that for me, it has been easier to forgive others for having flaws than forgiving them for not allowing me or others to have some! I’ve always been very sensitive to feelings of being judged by others and by people not being “real.” However, with the Lord’s strength, I can step out and be “real” anyway, and I find it often helps others be more comfortable to do the same!
That was a good word this morning. I love the line from everybody’s normal that says something to the effect of …”Could you imagine what your lilfe would be like if all pretense would vanish from it? If you did not have to spend time pretending to be someone that you are not…this is God’s design for us in community.
10 words that would change the world…..”I am sorry……I was wrong….will you forgive me?” Love you brother.