Sunday, November 28, 2004

I'm Not A Pirate

On Thanksgiving Day, I was playing cards with my parents, sister and brother-in-law, with my almost-3-year-old niece sitting at the table. I’m a pretty competitive person, and wasn’t too pleased with some of the hands I was being dealt. At one point while I was losing badly, I let out a loud “ARRRRRGGH” to voice my frustration. My niece then piped up, “Lisa, you’re not a pirate!” Now, Grace has played pretend with me before; we’ve pretended to be princesses and baseball players. But I suppose that at that moment, she felt the need to remind me that I was not who I sounded like.

It’s handy to have someone who really sees us as we truly are and isn’t afraid to let us know it. I’m blessed with several friends who are quite discerning and know when they need to remind me of my true self and put me in my place. While there are times I wish they’d placate my selfish moods and let me get away with more than they already do, deep down I know what a tremendous gift it is to have people in my life who know me so well—and better still, who love and accept me in the midst of knowing me so well.

Having people in my life who see past the façade that I try to wear is dangerous business. It requires a great deal of vulnerability and trust, two things that are not easily given. But when I let my guard down and reveal my true self, warts and all, that’s the only way I will find true acceptance. There is something powerful about having someone in your life who has seen you at your worst and still talks to you, still loves you.

Not only do I need to be humbled at times and reminded of who I truly am, but I also need to be reminded of WHOSE I am. I struggle with self-confidence issues, and there are many times when Satan’s whispers in my ear seem to drown out everyone else around me. “You’re not this, you’ll never be this, you can’t do this,” he tells me. Again, I am thankful for the people in my life who come to my rescue and reassure me that, because I am God’s, I am NOT the person that Satan tries to convince me that I am.

In John 8:44, Jesus unveils Satan’s deception. “…He [Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

If Satan’s not using pride to make us see ourselves as better than we are (as with Adam and Eve in Genesis 3), then he’s taking the opposite route of trying to convince us that we are miserable creatures who will never conquer our trials or amount to anything. It’s crucial that we have a fellowship of believers in our lives who know the truth and use it to help set us free from Satan’s attacks.

What lies are you buying into? That you’re a screw-up? That you’ll never overcome temptation? That things will never get better for you? That you don’t need God, or anyone else for that matter?

Now ask yourself, who in my life truly knows me and isn’t afraid to reveal me for who I truly am? If you can’t think of anyone who you can be the real you with, what steps can you take to have that fellowship in your life? For those of you who do have truth-bearers in your life, what advice would you give to those seeking people to remind them of who and whose they are?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an adorable and insightful child!

Aleah said...

You are SO RIGHT!!! I am grateful beyond measure to have people in my life (like YOU) who aren't afraid to call me to the carpet on things. Sometimes we become so deceived by Satan that we can't see, hear or even imagine that we are worth 10 cents. As you well know, I am a pro at getting stuck on one little 'thing' and analyzing it until it bleeds. It's almost like I am trying to surgically remove the faith from stuff. That's when my sisters reign me back in--the proverbial slap in the face. I don't know where I'd be without friends like you to keep me in line!