Trying To Make Up

S

everal weeks ago, I stopped into a local pharmacy to buy something for a headache, you know the slow, nagging kind that just won't go away.   As I made my way toward the pain relievers, I walked down an entire aisle devoted solely to cosmetics.  I never knew there were so many different colors!  I mean, how many different shades constitute a blush?  And let's not even talk about eye shadow!!  Needless to say, my hat is off to you ladies who are able to negotiate these aisles with ease.  There is simply no way I could manage it!  I have a hard enough time deciding regular or double stuff Oreo's, and they are the same color!

All along the aisle were posters and pictures of beautiful models, advertising different brands of make-up to improve your looks and to make you a more successful and confident person.  Excuse me, but let's face one fact!  If these people need to use cosmetics to "make up" any deficit between what they are and what society believes they should be, do any of the rest of us have a chance? I don't think so!   Personally, I think we're sunk!! 

But this stroll down the cosmetic aisle only served to reinforce a stark truth about our society.  We are so enamored with the outward appearances of people.  We notice their hairstyle, their clothing, their shoes, etc.; but we neglect the people themselves.  As a society, we have set a standard that is impossible for us to reach on our own.  Although we speak of valuing inner beauty, we sell products to enhance and improve outward appearance.  In addition, we convey the idea that people, women in particular, need to use something to "make up" the deficit between themselves and "perfection."  The very name of the product, "make-up" only under girds the notion that we aren't good enough on our own and must constantly work to make up for what we lack.

Unfortunately, this phenomenon touches our spiritual lives as well. It is difficult, if not impossible, for some Christians to accept the notion of God's grace.  Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve; but grace is receiving what we don't deserve.  It is by God's grace that we have obtained eternal life through Christ.  There was nothing we could do to receive it, it is God's gift that he offers freely to each person who believes Jesus Christ came to die and pay the penalty for sin.

However, we, as Christians, send the wrong message.  We are constantly "doing" things for God.  We serve on every committee the church organizes; we attend every bake sale, every Bible study, try out for every program, and make sure we read everything written about Christianity.  We teach Sunday school, work in the nursery, deliver meals to people who are home-bound , donate our clothes to the less fortunate, and send money to at least five missionaries or Christian organizations.  All the while, we buy into the idea that the more we do for God, the holier we are.  But nothing could be further from the truth!!

Paul addresses this issue in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."  Here, Paul takes issue with the idea that we can earn our salvation by performing a certain number of works.  He states categorically that our salvation is a gift from God and not because of anything we have done.  We get caught up in appearances, believing we will "look" more like a Christian if we do things perceived by society as Christian.  This is the equivalent of applying cosmetics to dress up a person's looks.  No matter how much make-up is applied, it can do nothing to change the inner attitude or character of a person.

God saved us because he chose to, because he loved us, because we couldn't do it for ourselves.  We need to stop living as if our salvation depended on the number of church bazaar's we attend and start understanding that true life begins when we accept the gift of God's grace.  Constantly doing alienates us from God because we are too busy to spend time with him.  Accepting his grace, however, draws us closer to him because we understand just how much we need him and how much he loves us. 

Before you start your day, spend some time with your Heavenly Father.  You can go to him, blemishes and all, because he loves you.  He sees you just the way you are and he will never require you "make up" any part of your life.  Instead, he will look at your heart, the real you, and accept you and love you for the person you are, not for the person you think you should be.