“Just take the week off and don’t write a SW this week.” I’ve heard this in my head all day yesterday and today. Here it is Friday afternoon. Although I have two rough-ideas, I have been unable to put any meat on the bones. It has been a tiring week working on a couple of outside projects with Donna. In addition, I’ve been grabbing a moment here and there working on a book. My brain has decided it has done enough for the week and doesn’t want to function anymore. So why am I even writing this? Two reasons, trying to jump-start my brain into writing and more important to show others that this happens to all of us. It doesn’t matter if it is writings, working, or ministering, etc. No matter how long we’ve been believers, we still have weaknesses and experience failure. Some people present themselves as Super-Christians, with endless strength, unswerving faith not having human struggles and of course they never fail. No! They hide their flaws and definitely don’t share their failures.
I served under a pastor who presented himself as a super-pastor but every staff member knew different. On one occasion, the pastoral staff and leadership with our spouses met at a leader’s home. After food and fellowship, we gathered in the den for a time of prayer. The agenda was for everyone to share and give a personal prayer request about an area in which they were struggling. Almost immediately, we recognized a special presence of the Holy Spirit. The group suddenly opened their hearts pouring out struggles, hurts, resentment, and failures. After an hour of emotional testimonies, every person had shared except the senior pastor and his wife. When they did, I will never forget their response. “We are just so glad we don’t have any problems and praise the Lord for keeping us from these kinds of struggles and hurts.” You can’t imagine how shocked everyone was; knowing the image they put forth was nowhere near reality. It reminded me of Jesus’ parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the temple. The tax collector beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ The Pharisee prayed ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector (Lk 18:10-14). Believers, especially leaders, who present a polished picture of Christianity, create a model unreachable by anyone. Newer believers soon become frustrated and suffer guilt when they fall short of the flawless life others portray and learn they must put on a mask around other Christians, i.e. become hypocrites
Magazine racks and TV ads are flooded with photos of people portraying a beauty impossible for anyone to obtain. Photoshop began as the name of a software. It has evolved into a verb. The pictures of models, women and men, are Photoshopped into the perfect human being but creating an unattainable standard. An advertising executive recently said that to some degree editors alter every single picture on magazine covers. The result, people try to emulate an unachievable look. Because they can’t, they resort to unending beauty products, cosmetic surgery, clothes, diets, etc. Of course, this has generated a billion dollar industry.
Apply this example of physical manipulation to Christianity and you wonder how many believers are struggling and living in constant guilt because they fail in achieving a life like others pretend to be living. Yet, the image presented to them has gone through a ‘spiritual Photoshop’. The above-mentioned pastor tried editing out his flaws to the public, however everyone who worked with him saw the original, and he was no near to perfect than we were. Nothing is wrong with having a spiritual example. Paul said, Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us (Phil 3:17). He told Titus to be an example, in all things show yourself to be an example (Tit 2:7). But the key is choosing a true example that is not pretending to have no weaknesses and always remember that Jesus is the only perfect example. Jesus said, For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you (Joh 13:15).
The lessons here are when your weakness is hindering you from getting started, do what you can and the strength of the Holy Spirit will come. All week the thoughts wouldn’t come, but as I wrote the opening paragraph, the Lord began to empower my weakness. The second thought, Christians need to be real and not Photoshopped. That doesn’t mean we go around sharing all our ‘dirty laundry.’ Instead, we live as an ordinary person and let others know that Christians have the same struggles as everyone else in the world. We also show that we have the answer for overcoming our weaknesses and failures—Jesus.
I could have given into my tired brain and skipped a week. I rarely know if these weekly words bless someone somewhere around the world, but this might be the week when this lesson sustains someone through the week.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Be an example and show others how to overcome weaknesses and failures. Don’t Photoshop them out.