I had a dream several months ago.
I saw a group of Christians riding in an SUV with their windows down, Christian music blaring.
Somehow I knew (you know how in a dream when you just know something) that they were rich and living in a bubble and had become numb to the pain of others.
This led me to think about a few things.
I believe God wants to use the pain and loneliness I've experienced to connect with people who are forgotten, who are ugly in the world's eyes (but precious in His), whose lives don't fit a comfortable, tidy narrative -- and I definitely understand not fitting into the tidy narrative category.
I've also given some thought to how people portray themselves. There's something out there that I'll call the Facebook narrative -- it's that pretty, polished image people present to the world, while not revealing struggles and problems.
Society tries to pressure us into only sharing things that make us look healthy, beautiful or successful. I've been guilty at times of just sharing those types of things.
But I feel that many people are sitting on the sidelines and watching life go by because they think they have been disqualified because of issues in their past. Maybe they don't feel like they fit anywhere in society's definition of success and, therefore, they put on a cloak of rejection.
They think the ugliness in their past disqualifies them from ever having love, joy, happiness or a beautiful story.
But so many lives don't fit the Facebook narrative.
I imagine the issue kind of like this:
Picture a beautiful brick street lined with trees and flowers. Down the middle of that street walks this young couple -- they're smart, successful, well-dressed and beautiful, and they don't have a care in the world. They smile and laugh as they walk hand-in-hand.
They don't notice what's around them.
On the side of that road there are benches filled with people who are abused, mentally ill, homeless, financially stressed, widowed and orphaned, and on and on. I see them watching the young couple and longing for a chance -- or another chance -- at that life, longing to have their records cleared, longing for a different story. I'm one of them.
But the truth is, none of our stories fit the Facebook narrative.
The truth, I believe, is that the Facebook narrative is a lie.
We all need redemption. No matter how perfect we appear on the outside, we've all sinned.
We all need God's love and forgiveness. Part of every one of us is cowering in the dark until the Son of God rescues us.
We all desperately need Jesus Christ to save us.
And the good news is He came to save us from hell and set us free from the sin and shame and pain that tries to keep us on the sidelines.
In Christ, we don't have to long for our story to be different. He redeems our stories. He gives us a future and a hope. He gives us eternal life.
(Yay!! Praise God!)
He knows us completely and still loves us. We can be real with Him.
He is the perfection we long for, and with His own precious blood He washes us clean and makes us His.
A friend told me recently that we're all equal at the foot of the Cross.
I thought about that today and how, despite that fact, so many people are categorized in our society based on their circumstances or problems -- people who are among "the homeless" or "the mentally ill" or "the disabled" or the "ex-convicts," etc., seem to be treated sometimes like they're not human beings first.
But they are. And they're precious. We all are.
And at some point we're all in the same boat when it comes to needing salvation, regardless of how important or unimportant this evil world says we are.
I'll end with a quote I saw, which wasn't attributed to anyone. It says never forget that every person you meet is a living soul who will spend eternity somewhere.
I think that's good to remember.
---
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
“I know that the LORD will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.”
Psalms 140:12 NKJV
““For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.””
Psalms 12:5 NKJV
““And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ””
Revelation 3:14-22 NKJV
I saw a group of Christians riding in an SUV with their windows down, Christian music blaring.
Somehow I knew (you know how in a dream when you just know something) that they were rich and living in a bubble and had become numb to the pain of others.
This led me to think about a few things.
I believe God wants to use the pain and loneliness I've experienced to connect with people who are forgotten, who are ugly in the world's eyes (but precious in His), whose lives don't fit a comfortable, tidy narrative -- and I definitely understand not fitting into the tidy narrative category.
I've also given some thought to how people portray themselves. There's something out there that I'll call the Facebook narrative -- it's that pretty, polished image people present to the world, while not revealing struggles and problems.
Society tries to pressure us into only sharing things that make us look healthy, beautiful or successful. I've been guilty at times of just sharing those types of things.
But I feel that many people are sitting on the sidelines and watching life go by because they think they have been disqualified because of issues in their past. Maybe they don't feel like they fit anywhere in society's definition of success and, therefore, they put on a cloak of rejection.
They think the ugliness in their past disqualifies them from ever having love, joy, happiness or a beautiful story.
But so many lives don't fit the Facebook narrative.
I imagine the issue kind of like this:
Picture a beautiful brick street lined with trees and flowers. Down the middle of that street walks this young couple -- they're smart, successful, well-dressed and beautiful, and they don't have a care in the world. They smile and laugh as they walk hand-in-hand.
They don't notice what's around them.
On the side of that road there are benches filled with people who are abused, mentally ill, homeless, financially stressed, widowed and orphaned, and on and on. I see them watching the young couple and longing for a chance -- or another chance -- at that life, longing to have their records cleared, longing for a different story. I'm one of them.
But the truth is, none of our stories fit the Facebook narrative.
The truth, I believe, is that the Facebook narrative is a lie.
We all need redemption. No matter how perfect we appear on the outside, we've all sinned.
We all need God's love and forgiveness. Part of every one of us is cowering in the dark until the Son of God rescues us.
We all desperately need Jesus Christ to save us.
And the good news is He came to save us from hell and set us free from the sin and shame and pain that tries to keep us on the sidelines.
In Christ, we don't have to long for our story to be different. He redeems our stories. He gives us a future and a hope. He gives us eternal life.
(Yay!! Praise God!)
He knows us completely and still loves us. We can be real with Him.
He is the perfection we long for, and with His own precious blood He washes us clean and makes us His.
A friend told me recently that we're all equal at the foot of the Cross.
I thought about that today and how, despite that fact, so many people are categorized in our society based on their circumstances or problems -- people who are among "the homeless" or "the mentally ill" or "the disabled" or the "ex-convicts," etc., seem to be treated sometimes like they're not human beings first.
But they are. And they're precious. We all are.
And at some point we're all in the same boat when it comes to needing salvation, regardless of how important or unimportant this evil world says we are.
I'll end with a quote I saw, which wasn't attributed to anyone. It says never forget that every person you meet is a living soul who will spend eternity somewhere.
I think that's good to remember.
---
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
“I know that the LORD will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.”
Psalms 140:12 NKJV
““For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.””
Psalms 12:5 NKJV
““And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ””
Revelation 3:14-22 NKJV
