The Importance of Being Honest

Okay so warning and disclaimer about this post, it may come off as a rant of sorts, and maybe it is. But My frustrated mind is trying to resolve it's ideas and the best way I do this is to write. Words and ideas enter into my mind and wont leave until I put them down onto paper or clumsily speak them. I'm not so good at the impromptu speaking part, the words bounce around in my mind so much that they come out in unintelligent phrases when expressed orally. It's just a mess, if you've ever had the misfortune of having a serious conversation with me, I'm sorry because I probably sounded like I had no idea what I was talking about. I am knowledgeable of things! I just don't know how to tell you that.

AH I've already started a rant that has nothing to do with the subject I wanted to rant about!
(There I admitted it, this is a rant)

Okay so, something that I have been encountering, (is that the correct phrasing of that? Whatever it's how I want it to be), is an overwhelming fakeness practically dripping from people. You know what I'm talking about, you've met one of those people that no matter how bright the smile, or loud the laugh, there's a sound that comes after it, subtle, but encroaching enough that something in the back of your mind goes.... hmmmm. It's more than that, it's a small almost inaudible sigh with a shifting of the eyes as if searching the room to find acceptance in some corner, but they're not going to find it, because they're not being themself, therefore not accepting the person they're portraying.

Okay, caveat, (don't know what that means? Look it up, our generation has been blessed with modern technology and a virtually unlimited search engine, also known as Google. while you're there look up a vocabulary word you don't know. Don't be afraid to educate yourself. Education is attractive.) I want you to understand that the only reason I'm critical on this situation is because I used to be that person. And still today I struggle not to fall into that routine of hiding myself to try to please everyone, get attention, or be the cool person. And, this problem can typically be found within the high school aged assemblage (just looked that word up. Learning is fun!). This is where it hit me hardest and kept it's claws into me through the early college years, as well.

Back to original thought:

There are just those people that no matter how hard they try to fake it they come off as very insincere. And that is a turn off in general. And I don't mean boy-girl turn off, but a turn off in general.

The problem:

First off, what's so wrong with you?! Where does it say that you are such a horrible personality that no one will like it if they really get to know you?
God certainly doesn't think this way
Let's go back alllllll the way to the beginning.

1:26 Then God said, “Let us make ⁴⁷ 

humankind ⁴⁸  in our image, after our likeness, ⁴⁹  so they may rule ⁵⁰  over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, ⁵¹  and over all the creatures that move ⁵²  on the earth.”

1:27 God created humankind ⁵³  in his own image,

in the image of God he created them, ⁵⁴ 

male and female he created them. ⁵⁵

(Gen 1:26-27)

 Okay let's start with the fact that God made you specifically. Every flaw, every strength, every strand of hair He made, and He made it in His likeness! Okay, how cool are you already?

Checklist, please!

God made you personally
He made you in His image
And it even says it, He made you to rule! You rule!

Haha okay that last one isn't a correct interpretation of the Scriptures ;P. But so far I'd say we're looking pretty darn good. 

So I feel like I have used this verse before but I don't feel like going and looking haha, so lazzzyyyy.

139:13 Certainly ¹⁹  you made my mind and heart; ²⁰ 

you wove me together ²¹  in my mother’s womb.

139:14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. ²² 

You knew me thoroughly; ²³ 

139:15 my bones were not hidden from you,

when ²⁴  I was made in secret

and sewed together in the depths of the earth. ²⁵ 

139:16 Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. ²⁶ 

All the days ordained for me

were recorded in your scroll

before one of them came into existence. ²⁷ 

139:17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God! ²⁸ 

How vast is their sum total! ²⁹ 

139:18 If I tried to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand.

Even if I finished counting them,

I would still have to contend with you. ³⁰

The Lord made your heart and mind! He thinks of you. Your days are ordained by Him! He knows you thoroughly and He loves you. HE.LOVES.YOU. Done, checklist complete. Whom else do you need to love you? Sure people here on earth seem pretty great, and you may feel like you need them to love you, but really.... do you really?
Let's not get things mixed up.
God has given us earthly relationships to cherish and enjoy, and brothers and sister's in Christ to help and to be the Church, and this is very very important. I'm not saying become a hermit and forsake all others, all I'm saying is that truly, essentially, if it came down to it the only love your soul and heart desperately NEEDS is Christ's. You heart may try and tell you that you desperately need so and so's love and affection, but be not deceived, dear heart!

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

 We have sick hearts, loves. And it is only Christ who can heal, but so often will listen to heart above Christ. Be careful that you don't let your heart tell you that you need something. Unless that something is Christ.

So let's look at our checklist, hmm?

God made you personally
He made you in His image
YOU RULE (Christina likes to make corny jokes and insist they're funnnnyyyy)
He has made your heart and mind, but be careful listening to that tricky heart
He thinks of you. YOU. Think of you, He does. (Eh? Reference? Anyone?)
He ordains your days! Don't know what that means?... Guess what.... LOOK IT UP! Wooo!
He knows you inside and out and He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you.

I'd say this is a pretty good list so far.

So you, dear reader, if you do exist, with all your faults and quirks and not-so-funny jokes, (ahem), are a special person. Made beautifully in the image of a God who loves your quirks.

I've been learning that He even loves through sin. Now, He's not happy with sin, He hates sin, but if He has saved you with His unending grace, He no longer judges you based on that, and loves throughout. 


So, my challenge to you is that when you feel like you should act a certain way because it's what everyone wants to see, think "God loves ME, He likes who I am, and so do I!".

Because He does love you, and for you reader, so do I.

You rule.

Love, (really) Always,
Christina

P.S.
An awesome resource, which I use for this blog is net.bible.org. And Phil Wickham music is pretty good too.