Image

Before I start first let me point you to 1 Samuel 16:7

"The Lord does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the Heart."

Here we are back at the heart. Probably the first thing people forget about. It's sad really, now with our culture, or "pop-culture" people are more concerned about their image.

Everyone wants to make an image for themselves. Some people want to be the emo, some the goth, some the football star, the debater, the theif or even the person who didn’t care what anyone thought of them (but really cared more). I was the same way. I wanted to be the grunge kid. I couldn’t just take on the look, I had to take the attitude, and the actions with it. I don’t miss those days. I wish I could accurately relay the feelings I had, the cutting, the crying at night, but then going to school, and making everyone laugh. It was tough. Life was tough. Why do kids do it to themselves?

You do not have to have an image. You do not have to wear name brands, or shirts that imply you drink or smoke pot to be cool! You do not have to drink or smoke pot to be cool! In fact, if you drink or smoke pot, you aren’t cool. You are just beginning your path of non-success and low self-esteem. Trust me. I’ve been there.

I thought I was cool when I could out drink everyone at the party when I was 15. I thought I was cool because I moved to Atlanta and knew all of the bar owners, and I even thought I was cool because I had done more drugs than anyone I have ever met. Guess what. I wasn’t. I took a step back. I heard what people were saying about me. Turns out, I was just one of those people at the bar, that I hated when my dad would take me there as a child.

So why are we so focused on what we look like or how people portray us? And, why is it that we almost always want people to portray us the wrong way. “I want people to think I’m a junkie-alcoholic that doesn’t care about anything.” I mean, that’s what I was practically saying in high school.

What are you saying? The way you dress? The things you say? The drugs you do? The parties you go to? The people you make fun of? What are you saying about yourself? Does it make you proud? Are you happy to be the stoner, gossiper, loose girl, or untamable guy? Is that the influence you want to set for younger children who may see you? Is that what you wanted to be when you were a child? Is that how you want to be remembered? Really? Where is your self-respect?

Look in the mirror, and stare at yourself in the eyes. Can you do it? I know I never could. If you can’t, evaluate yourself. Why can’t you stand to stare yourself in the eyes. What are you ashamed of, and what can you do to fix it?

Maybe this is a little too harsh but I don't care. You are already an image. Some people may have respected you at some point, some people may still. Don't let them down. Don't let yourself down. Take a step back, stop caring about your false-image and be real. Be honest. Be what makes you proud. Be yourself.

I'm a failure.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.” I guess that also means the only man who never fails is the man who never does anything. I have been faced with the fear of failure a lot this week. Wednesday was my official “quit date”. Yes. I am quitting smoking again. Seeing as how I used the word “again”, you can see that this is something that I have failed at quite often. In the midst of quitting, I was confronted with a problem at work. One I have never dealt with before. If I failed at this problem, it wasn’t just my pride, it was my job.

I have failed tons of times before. And before each time, there was a fear that I was going to fail. I have succeeded many times as well. And before each time, there was a fear that I was going to fail. Basically, no matter what I do; somewhere in the back of my head, I’m afraid I will fail.

Everybody fears. Everybody fails. You can’t judge a person by there failures, because, you will always be disappointed. Whenever you have a goal, there is a chance you will fail. But believe me, if used right, that failure could make you stronger than you could ever imagine. Look at Paul.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 3: 12-14

Paul is awesome. He wrote that from jail. He had been sent on his last mission from Jesus, before his ascension to Heaven. His mission was to witness Jesus in Rome, to bring his Gospel to the end of the earth. That is where he was arrested. So, while he was writing this letter to the Philippians, most would say he failed. How well can you spread the word from house arrest or prison cells? It didn't stop Paul. He knew that if he gave up, there was no possible way he could succeed in Jesus’ mission. So he conducted his ministry as best he could in chains and shackles. How awesome is that?

How can we be like Paul? How can I make myself get back on that horse? The bigger question may be, when I do fail, how do I keep faith that I can still be something, someone, in Christ’s eyes? Because for us, failure is inevitable. (It’s probably what we are best at) How we deal with it is not inevitable. As Christ-followers, we need to remember that we are accepted by Jesus because of grace, not based on performance. If we fail, SO WHAT!? What is important is that we move forward in Christ’s plan, and glorify him to the best of our ability. Strive harder to be like Paul, learn from our failure and don’t let it make us afraid to try other things or move forward. Success can only happen when on the verge of failure. So, if you live your life scared of failure, you will live your life scared of success.