“Who may worship in your
sanctuary, Lord?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.” –
Psalm 15:1-2 (NLT)
Revealing the truth brings pain. More often than white lies or plain all out lies. Why do I say this? Because in this world, we learn very quickly that truth is inconvenient. So we live a lie. Every day, we put on a mask. We do this out of fear that nonconformity will bring punishment from those we seek to be accepted by.
I’m not talking about the lies we tell our siblings (and in some cases of parents – children) about stealing their Halloween candy. Or that time you took your dad’s car on a joyride that left a scratch on it. Or the time when you cheated on your significant other by making out with someone else. Although those count as lies.
I’m talking about the painful truths of ourselves. Truths that expose us for who we are. I think some of the heaviest burden we bear is the one where we ask ourselves: if people knew the truth about me – would they still accept me?
Why have I started writing about this? Because I just read an acquaintance’s story. Did you know that April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day? He is on the Autism Spectrum (ASD 1). I honestly had no idea. His story resonated with me, particularly about trying to pass off as “normal,” which is a quite painful burden to bear.
By nature, we want to love and be loved. To be accepted. This is, I think, a natural longing that leads us to care for one another. But after sin and separation between God and man that led to the brokenness in relationships, everything changed. Our lives are in shambles. That love became twisted into something else entirely – a thing that requires certain arbitrary conditions to be met before the person is considered lovable. That longing for acceptance can become an unhealthy obsession to conform to the world, even if it means selling our very own soul for it. Only God’s love can truly set us free.
I love what 1 John 4 has to say about this. I believe it’s best to read it in its entirety for context and clarity.
No one understands our fear and pain of rejection better than Yeshua, who was rejected, despised and considered by others to be cursed. No matter how inconvenient or how difficult it is, we need to acknowledge that we are broken, and that we are tired of living out a lie.
We all are tired of hiding behind our masks. The world’s acceptance doesn’t matter. God’s acceptance of us does. God already loves us – in spite of our faults, our disability(s), our weaknesses, in our brokenness. It doesn’t matter if we are poor, rich, disabled, non-disabled, male, female, slave, or free. He is able to work and create a new life in us despite the fact that society tells us it’s impossible. His love has the power to heal us and bring us to a new kind of life. Live your life knowing God has accepted you through Yeshua’s work on the cross – but have you accepted Him?
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (2 Timothy 2:15-16 NIV)
Have faith and be patient. Continue abiding in the Lord. All will be completed in His time.
“How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word.” (Psalm 119:9 NLT)