Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Just A Moment

Hey there friends!  Sorry I did not have the devotional posted last week....I made an unexpected trip to Ohio with my mom & sister to see my fav. aunt (she has always claimed me as her's) who is in advanced liver failure (unfortunately..it is  inherited *hemochromatosis*...and I'm going to need to be tested sooner than later!)  Drove 9 hrs up there Sat...and 9 hrs back Sunday!? I'm thankful I was able to make the trip.  Just wanted to let you know I didn't forget about ya'll!!!

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Just a moment, a second, a story, an experience, an emotion....art often captures only a well crafted, framed, directed point in time.  There is much we can gather from any given work of art, but for as much as we see...there is so much more we do not see.   An artist can manipulate an image to be what they want.  Even a photograph can be cropped to remove the context of a work, changing the meaning entirely. 

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.  Ephesians 4:25 (NASB)

So often we conceal/hide our true thoughts and feelings.  We worry about hurting someone, offending others, causing waves, or being the one person to not agree or go with the group.  We put forth an image of what we think others want instead of being true to ourselves and what we know is right.  God's Word reminds us to lay aside falsehood & be truthful!  Now I'm not saying that we should say EVERYTHING that is on our mind.  A filter is good to have! (ha ha)  However, we live in a world that often prizes neatly packaged people pleasing pleasantries.  What the world needs though...is honesty...TRUTH.  Sometimes honesty isn't easy...or pretty!  Yet, honesty is what allows us to grow....as an individual & as a community.

As brothers & sisters in Christ, we must be real with one another.  "How are you doing" & "Fine" for our interactions is not acceptable.  We must get beyond the surface, and seek out real relationships that encourage & challenge us to be honest followers of Christ.  This type of relationship does not allow us to accept the well crafted version of one another.  It requires us to truly know each other...which takes time, energy, love, grace, and forgiveness.

For those who are not believers....they too need us to be honest...REAL!  They have seen enough examples of people that say one thing but live completely different.  What if we were real?  What if we were honest?  What if we acknowledged that we don't have it all together?  Could that be what catches the attention of the person who doesn't know Christ?

We can craft our art to say exactly what we want it to say....but we need to live our life out loud!  We need to be real.  What is holding you back from a life that is honest & true

PRAYER
Dear Lord,
Help us to be real.  Help us to live a life that is based on Truth & Love.  Allow us grace for ourselves and others....that we don't feel we have to live any other way.  Let us love ourselves & others enough to accept truth with it is spoken to us.
In Christ's Name
AMEN