People like to impress. They enjoy the praise other people will give and most of them enjoy that here on facebook. The impression we make may not be the real thing, and the truth behind that impression is sometimes disturbing or outright painful.
Truth may hurt but facing it is part of the learning process. A photo may reveal glaring facts about a hidden past, a past we tried to deny and hide because of perceived shame. The truth we must realize is this:
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.' (Romans 3:23_
We are all sinners. None of us here are spotlessly clean and we all made horrible mistakes in life. We have pasts and life stories that we try to hide because we are ashamed of them. But if we look at the Bible, the people there made worst things than we did and yet God forgave them ...and used them.
The important thing in life is not the hiding of truth, but the LEARNING from it. My parents were not the perfect parents I wanted them to be but I learned from them and I am thankful before they passed away, we all had forgiven each other. Book closed.
Concealed sin is the killer. A sin unrepented of will guarantee eternal condemnation. To expose it and have the offender realize his need to ask forgiveness is a way towards healing. But denial will only make the sin grow and eventually win the soul. We all learn from our mistakes as well as the mistakes of others. I state some truth in my essays and stories not to condemn but to relate how people can make mistakes and that the way to wisdom is only when they have God in their lives.
God gives us forgiveness and clothes us with righteousness. It is something we cannot earn on our own efforts, through the many masses and novenas or rosaries we pray. Mary Magdalene was a woman of sin, but she was there at the foot of the Cross and she was the first to see Jesus after the Resurrection. Peter denied Jesus three times but he was restored by Christ and given a second chance. We too have that second chance.
God is not after "impressions". He wants the real thing. He sees the heart and accepts those who do not hide from the truth that man is a sinner and needs Jesus Christ as Savior. Perhaps some truth gets exposed here on facebook so that those who have been in denial and trying to impress will be awakened that human weakness is part of life. We learn lessons and then turn to God because He alone can guide us towards HIS TRUTH.
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7b)
Posted on my facebook page May 1, 2012
Copyright Cynthia BuhainBaello
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Thank you Cynthia for this message. I am also like you unable to pay even for the membership. Hope you can guide me for better writing for the glory of our Lord. Thank you
