Masquerade No More...

A while back I heard Natalie Grant on the radio talking about the song "Perfect People". She said something extremely profound, something I hope never to forget. "Most times the people in the pew beside you are the ones hurting the most" I remember that word for word. She then went on to talk about the Christian mind set that we have to be perfect in front of people. We are completely terrified to admit how broken and screwed up we are because I mean, HELLO we are CHRISTIANS! You already have God you are supposed to Joel Olsteen it after you are saved. Ya know whistle a little tune, smile all the time, never miss a Sunday, etc. I am completely addicted to Jenny Simmons' (Addison Road lead singer) blog. But I must tell you that after I read her first blog I was really in a sort of rage. She talked about how her and her husband were having financial issues and how she was pretty depressed and then... she said all she had done for the past three days was layed in bed and cussed. Erk! Say what? "Um excuse me lady you are a CHRISTIAN singer you cannot I repeat CANNOT tell people you curse! That is totally crazy what will people think? It just disgusts me that someone who is supposed to be this role model for other Christians is walking around cussing and having the gall to tell people about it! It's people like you who say you're one thing and then live another that give us this image." After simmering on the blog all day I finally started thinking. "Reagan, are you a Christian? Yes. Have you cussed?...yep Have you cussed since being a christian?...I don't like where this is going what's your point..." I wasn't surprised that she messed up, I mess up all the time. I don't have some special hate for cussing...I was appalled and shocked that she had the guts to tell people that she was broken and that she didn't candy coat the situation or how she handled it. I was surprised that she didn't tell people that she just prayed about it and is completely at peace with the fact that it felt like her life was in shambles. Here is a newsflash for me: It's okay to tell people how much of a screw up you are. It's true I believe it now. The only way for me to be a person that God can use to touch people is to show them that even though I'm saved I am a complete rebellious human more times than not and just because I'm a christian it doesn't mean that I handle everything with the grace that Jesus did. The truth is I don't read my Bible every night. I sometime cuss (not just once like a whole list of profanity) when I stump my toe or spill an entire water bottle on my laptop. I have cheated on tests. I have been so obsessed with a guy that I would have given up anything to keep him, even sex.( which is just as bad as actually doing it) I have broken the law. I have made fun of people who have done nothing to me. I watch Grey's Anatomy often. I have not always honored my parents. The list goes on and on. I am one hundred million percent a screw up and sometimes I have to really dig myself in a hole before I decide that it might be a swell idea to throw down my pride and beg for the redemption that is already mine. But all of this makes me no less of a child of God. I'm still His. "But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.13"But go and learn what this means: I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." ~Matthew 9:11-13. He is the only one that matters and the bitter sweet truth is there is no fooling Him. The fact is we can never truly cover up our flaws and scars but we can show people how the love of Christ holds us together, and picks us back up when we fall.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9