disguises v.s reality

¹³For You formed my inward parts;
         You wove me in my mother's womb.
¹⁴I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
         And my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14 (NASB)

Yes, you know what I’m talking about. Those costumes we put on when we don’t like the real us; when we want to be something other than ourselves. Sometimes it’s hard being real, but is being fake the right solution?

Girls these days have it pretty rough. I’m not saying guys have bad days, but because I am a girl, I can more relate to them. In other words, I know how rough it gets. Teen girls are blasted with magazines, commercials, movies, and billboards that show superficial bodies and gorgeous, unrealistic hair that just goes “WHOOSH” in the wind. These magazine people live in a world of large, black eyes, long, luscious hair, expensive clothes, perfect skin, bronze tans…the list just goes on and on. But, its all fake. You know that awesome tool called Photoshop? Well, that’s the name of every supermodel’s world.

Girls these days are pressured to be like everybody else. To look like that person. To do their hair like a certain way. To buy the clothes that all the “popular” people are wearing. Basically, to NOT be themselves. Isn’t that sad? So statistically speaking, if everybody is trying to be someone other than themselves…who exactly are they following if the person they want to be like doesn’t even like who they are? Now that’s something to ponder.

Disguises are something we have all put on at one point or another. You either have, or are still wearing one. You may be sitting here thinking why I’m talking about this. You may be sitting here thinking I’m absolutely insane for saying such things. And you know, I may just have to agree with you. The world does think I’m crazy, and you know what? I am perfectly, 100% OK with that…because I know that Jesus wants me to go the opposite way, NOT to just follow the crowd.

Jesus is the coolest person who ever lived on the face of the planet, and people are telling me you have to wear the “in” clothes to be somebody?

Jesus didn’t care what people thought about Him, He just wanted to live His life according to the will of His Father in Heaven. That’s the realest you can get.

I really admire people who are real. By real I mean, you meet them one day and they are the same exact person years later. They don’t care what people think about them, they are just who they are and all they want to do is to live a godly life style and encourage others to do the same.

Being real not only means being all that God wants you to be, but it also means being true to yourself and the people around you. No one wants a friend who has two identities or who is constantly trying to be someone they are not. Being real means standing out. Being real, is the REAL cool.

This New Years, I challenge you to put aside all of the masks you are wearing. To let the walls you've built around yourself fall to the ground. God has you. He is holding you. Let go of the insecurities...because those things do not and will never define the real YOU. 

Love you guys <3