A Call to be Real

Hey guys!  I wrote this a while ago, but just found it again, and wanted to share it –

Smiles surround me. 

In my classes, my friends, my church and bible studies.  They’re everywhere. 

Some are small, some are large, some have big, goofy teeth sticking out the front. 

Smiles are great. 

Smiles can turn someone’s day around. 

Smiles can show that you are a caring, loving, perfect person. 

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Smiles suck. 

You see, there are two types of smiles. 

There are the kinds of smiles you get when you see the sunrise, a newborn baby, or your best friend. 

Then there are the types of smiles that say “I’m fine” while choking back the sour bitterness clenched behind perfect teeth, hissing “I’m dying”. 

I hate these kind of smiles – what are you trying to prove? 

Why?

Why must we always feel the need to put up a front that causes us to appear as though we have no faults? 

To be fair, there is a time and place for everything, but where this really gets me is in the church and bible studies.  Smiles are great, but we cannot live a full life without a few tears, especially in the church. 

Tears that stem from hurts, disappointments, and failures. 

Because that’s where true growth comes from. 

I’m sick of prayer requests full of petitions for more sleep or a less stressful schedule. 

I’m tired of accountability groups where the biggest problem is not praying every day. 

I refuse to believe that out of the hundreds of people I interact with on a weekly basis, nobody is struggling with depression, anger, doubt, fear, addictions…

What would it look like if we were finally able to let our demons out of the closet? 

What if we were to be honest about the stinking, dark messes that hide deep down behind our smiles and laughter? 

If we could get past the fear of others seeing our weaknesses, then maybe, just maybe, we would finally be able to let God in and heal us. 

I’m sick of the smiles closing in around me.

The masks that hide the pain and guilt. 

I cannot, will not, believe that I am the only one who’s dealing with things that would shock the ‘good Christian woman’. 

Let’s start being real with eachother.