Unfiltered

THIS picture cracks me up! Because, if you have friends like mine, Snapchat has become quite the amusement. It allows one to send or respond to friends and family with the silliest videos and pictures. Especially because viewing time is limited in seconds and expires, and you can tell if someone screenshots your picture. It is the epitome of dorkiness.

Of course, there are people who post everything they do and only the good stuff. Same on Facebook and Instagram. Individuals share their best pictures, you know the filtered, best lighting, best background, best outfit. The best moments! Most of us are guilty of it. It’s that little bit of narcissism in us, braggart, at times if you will. And that’s ok because life is exciting and worth sharing! But I am mostly referring to the regularly scheduled “Look at how wonderful I am because nothing ever goes wrong” pictures…

So back to the picture… It makes me laugh, but also makes me think – would I be able to take a picture like this and post it publicly? Or do I concern myself with how others view me? Do I strive to please others in spite of my insecurities? OR because of them? Verse 10 in the first chapter of Galatians asks us similar questions: “Am I saying this now to win the approval of people or God? Am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

Wait..WHAT? Christ’s servant? So if I’m busy spending my time trying to make myself look better in front of others, then I’m not being Christ’s hands and feet? Am I doing a disservice to my “world” by filtering my life and not being my true self?

So WHEN and HOW should I attempt to be myself, the unfiltered individual God made? Hmmmm….what if:

• maybe when I hear someone put themselves down for not liking their appearance I can attempt to use edifying words to build them up, especially since I also have reduced self-confidence over my appearance and weight gain, therefore completely understanding how they feel? [Even my Bitmoji gives me a complex at times…]
• when I hear someone complain about their vocation or wish they had the courage to do something else, I could help them talk through their gifts and talents since I have firsthand experience in battling insecurities on desiring to be employed to do what I know I’m gifted to do [versus what employers will think of my “lack of experience” or what others say I should do]?
• especially when I hear others share parenting anxieties and struggles, I can listen and share my experiences since I am now watching my now adult child venture further into adulthood after a challenging childhood?
• I listened to the many who say or show they are lonely, heartbroken, or need help. Not allow the “exclusion bandwagon” to dictate isolating that person because someone else doesn’t appreciate him or her in the same way? Investing time in and/or helping since I understanding having a diffident attitude after experiencing many of my own let downs and failed relationships and friendships? Because I know what it’s to isolate and not want to “bother” anyone even though I need help?
• maybe, just maybe I call someone whom I have not spoken with in a while? Not to solicit anything, but to genuinely see how they are doing? Maybe that can help turn my mood around too?

WHO am I living this life for anyway? Am I more concerned with what others think of me, if others love me and if I’m important to them? Will they judge me if I make certain decisions? OR am I concerned with where God has placed me and wants me to do? Do I consider how God made me, gifted me and molded me with life experiences, or am I still trying to fit a mold that I once thought was my “destiny”? [note: the mold that “I” thought…]

Who can I reach out to in an unfiltered way?

And…what if we not only shared our experiences, challenges, and lives with others a bit more unfiltered, we occasionally posted pictures of our worst days? Bad hair days? Button-popping days? No makeup days? Kids driving me crazy days? NO FILTER days…? Would that show me that I am not alone? Would the true me allow others to see that they are not alone?

What if…?

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” ~[Romans 12:2 The Message]

What about you? To WHOM are you demonstrating an unfiltered life?

In the meantime, I’ll admit I don’t normally wear flower headbands, I don’t walk around in filtered lighting, and I certainly do not have the big shiny eyes or smooth skin filters allow me to display though I’m almost half a century old [thanks, Snapchat!]. But by God’s standards, I’m one pretty cool chick! And He has empowered me to shine my light, my unfiltered, God light…

I hope that you’ll post or send me [Snapchat: sistachica] your goofiest, no filtered pictures because I would LOVE to see them! 

I DARE YOU…

God’s Love and mine,

~Sista Chick