I watched an ad on Facebook today. The message was that we each make ourselves up, that we get the chance to be who we want to be just because we want to be it. It was an ad for Make-up. The ad featured a very attractive woman who switched from role to role, whether it was business owner or fitness instructor or party-goer. In each scene, she was in control of the situation, all eyes were on her. Her make-up was flawless, and at the end of ad, text rolled across the screen reading, "You are who you make up."
This is an idea that is consistent in our culture today. We fixate on the idea that we are not constricted by our position. We tell our children that they can be anything. Is this idea right? Is it healthy?
We live in the land of opportunity. We love to tell stories of change, where drastic metamorphosis-style changes occur to those who are lost, broken, poor, desperate, and even the despicable. In our stories, they become anyone they want to be, leaders, rich, strong, confident. Why do we love these kind of stories?
The answer to this is simple. At the beginning of time, we were created by a perfect God and had a perfect relationship before we fell into temptation and became slaves to our flesh. From that moment on we were the lost, broken, and despicable. Each one of us relates to those stories because, on the inside, we are all equal in our brokenness. Thankfully, for those of us who have been given ears to hear and receive the gospel, we have found salvation in Christ, and have been made whole and perfect again.
What, then, could possibly be wrong with the stories of change that we idolize?
Oh, so many things.
The salvation found by those in the stories is generally self-founded. We say to our children, "YOU can be anything." The subjects of our stories find their way out of their situation if they only have enough confidence, work hard enough, or are pretty enough. This is a fatal lie that we are fed on a daily basis. Outside of the life-giving breath of the Lord, you are less than the dust on the sole of your shoe. Even the genuineness, the millionaires, the most successful and talented people in our society are loaned everything that they have by the God of the Universe. You are breathing borrowed air, given as a gift from the creator.
What right then do we have to say that any of us can change outside of his control? He governs our every moment, he rightfully gives and takes away. You can do nothing outside of his will to change your fate. Amazingly, our God is a god of grace an mercy, wishing to bless his children with gifts and prosper them. Everything that he plans, even the things that appear as tragedies, are for our good and for His glory.
Another flaw is that the stories are founded in the material world. The stories of change depict those who are lost and broken as equivalent to those who have no money, no clothes, no food, no home. They equate money and fame and success to having healthy relationships, confidence, beauty, strength, popularity, comfort, and happiness. They teach us to think that, "Oh, if I only have this, then I will be happy. They fail to point out the brokenness that dominates the high society.
This teaches us discontent. In a world based off of consumerism, the more that we think we need, the more successful businesses capitals are. We love to have. Our statuses are often defined by the things that we have, rather than our skills, abilities, or quality of life that we have.
The bible teaches that our joys and treasures are stored in heaven, not on this earth. We will not be happier if we look better or work harder or if more people like us. True joy in found only in Him and the salvation that he offers.
Finally, it gives us unrealistic expectations for what is both possible and right. We have certain God-given qualities, both strengths and weaknesses, and laws that we try to change because we believe that they hold us back from happiness when they are put in our lives in order to lead us to true joy. You were created as you are and where you are fro a reason, and that does not mean you cannot desire and work for something better, but it does mean that you should only do so under the guidance of the God who made you and put you where you are.
You are not fixed or improved by better make-up, hair, cars, jobs, or titles. You are made perfect by the offer of salvation of a loving God who was nailed to a tree in order to take your struggles and imperfections, who bore them to the grave and buried them there. When he rose, he rose victorious over your flaws and he has the scars to prove it.
The best gift in this is that you do not have to make it up as you go along, because you can rest assured that there is a God who loves you so much that he died for you, and he is guiding your every footstep. Whether you are homeless and poor or at the top of the social ladder, he is God over your position and in control of your future.
Is that not beautiful?
This is an idea that is consistent in our culture today. We fixate on the idea that we are not constricted by our position. We tell our children that they can be anything. Is this idea right? Is it healthy?
We live in the land of opportunity. We love to tell stories of change, where drastic metamorphosis-style changes occur to those who are lost, broken, poor, desperate, and even the despicable. In our stories, they become anyone they want to be, leaders, rich, strong, confident. Why do we love these kind of stories?
The answer to this is simple. At the beginning of time, we were created by a perfect God and had a perfect relationship before we fell into temptation and became slaves to our flesh. From that moment on we were the lost, broken, and despicable. Each one of us relates to those stories because, on the inside, we are all equal in our brokenness. Thankfully, for those of us who have been given ears to hear and receive the gospel, we have found salvation in Christ, and have been made whole and perfect again.
What, then, could possibly be wrong with the stories of change that we idolize?
Oh, so many things.
The salvation found by those in the stories is generally self-founded. We say to our children, "YOU can be anything." The subjects of our stories find their way out of their situation if they only have enough confidence, work hard enough, or are pretty enough. This is a fatal lie that we are fed on a daily basis. Outside of the life-giving breath of the Lord, you are less than the dust on the sole of your shoe. Even the genuineness, the millionaires, the most successful and talented people in our society are loaned everything that they have by the God of the Universe. You are breathing borrowed air, given as a gift from the creator.
What right then do we have to say that any of us can change outside of his control? He governs our every moment, he rightfully gives and takes away. You can do nothing outside of his will to change your fate. Amazingly, our God is a god of grace an mercy, wishing to bless his children with gifts and prosper them. Everything that he plans, even the things that appear as tragedies, are for our good and for His glory.
Another flaw is that the stories are founded in the material world. The stories of change depict those who are lost and broken as equivalent to those who have no money, no clothes, no food, no home. They equate money and fame and success to having healthy relationships, confidence, beauty, strength, popularity, comfort, and happiness. They teach us to think that, "Oh, if I only have this, then I will be happy. They fail to point out the brokenness that dominates the high society.
This teaches us discontent. In a world based off of consumerism, the more that we think we need, the more successful businesses capitals are. We love to have. Our statuses are often defined by the things that we have, rather than our skills, abilities, or quality of life that we have.
The bible teaches that our joys and treasures are stored in heaven, not on this earth. We will not be happier if we look better or work harder or if more people like us. True joy in found only in Him and the salvation that he offers.
Finally, it gives us unrealistic expectations for what is both possible and right. We have certain God-given qualities, both strengths and weaknesses, and laws that we try to change because we believe that they hold us back from happiness when they are put in our lives in order to lead us to true joy. You were created as you are and where you are fro a reason, and that does not mean you cannot desire and work for something better, but it does mean that you should only do so under the guidance of the God who made you and put you where you are.
You are not fixed or improved by better make-up, hair, cars, jobs, or titles. You are made perfect by the offer of salvation of a loving God who was nailed to a tree in order to take your struggles and imperfections, who bore them to the grave and buried them there. When he rose, he rose victorious over your flaws and he has the scars to prove it.
The best gift in this is that you do not have to make it up as you go along, because you can rest assured that there is a God who loves you so much that he died for you, and he is guiding your every footstep. Whether you are homeless and poor or at the top of the social ladder, he is God over your position and in control of your future.
Is that not beautiful?
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