Daily Devotional – 3/13/12 “Stop hiding!”

Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Lacy Ackright are a couple who have been married for about 8 years and they seem very happy; they have a house, 2 children, 2 cars, jobs, money in their retirement accounts and even in their savings. They go to church every Sunday, she is on the Usher Board and he serves as a deacon and is always willing to help. When the Pastor started the Couple’s Ministry at the church he asked them to be apart because everybody wanted to know the secret behind the “great marriage” they portrayed. He is always a gentleman; opening doors, pulling out chairs and helping her with her jacket, providing for his family and can always be counted on – you know things like that. She is the type of wife every guy wants; she never complains when he watch sports or has his boys over, she cooks dinner regularly, fixes his plate and keeps the house up – all the things a woman is supposed to do. Their kids are well-behaved, do well in school, play all types of sports and really involved in the church. They seem to have it all together and even folks who weren’t married were a little jealous. One particular Saturday afternoon, the news broke a Breaking News story about a shooting in this upscale neighborhood. The news reporters didn’t release any names nor had a lot of information only to say that the house belonged to the Ackright’s. Now, the folks in the town are asking questions, “Was it a robbery or home invasion” or “Who would hurt such loving people?” However, by the 10PM news, the story was out that Mrs. Ackright had actually killed Mr. Ackright. Wow! No one, not one person, ever expected this but the children did. Why? Because their father was a monster behind closed doors. Yea, he was perfect to all those who he came in contact with but too his family, they barely recognized the man he used to be because the man he’d become was far worse than words could describe. No one knew what caused the sudden change but it happened and it was bad, worse even! See, folks only got to see what the family wanted them to see. They didn’t see the bruises under their clothes or the small limp the son had from being kicked down the stairs. They didn’t notice the pain behind the smiles of the daughter when they spoke to her. They never saw the fear in the eyes of Mrs. Ackright when they asked how she was doing or how she flinched when someone grabbed her arm. No, all the world saw was the perfect picture that was painted because they wanted to conform to the world. They did all they could to keep the war inside of their home instead of asking for help because folks had labeled them as perfect and no one wanted to ruin the image of the “perfect family” but the image ruined them. They lost themselves by trying to please everybody else.

We’ve become so good at putting up fronts that we don’t realize that they are slowly killing us. We’d rather go hungry than to admit we don’t have money in our pocket. We’d rather run out of gas instead of asking a friend to borrow $20 until pay-day. We’d rather allow ourselves to be killed at the hands of an abusive spouse rather than ask for help because we don’t want the world to know we’re suffering. But I’m here to tell you, right now, at this very moment that everybody is struggling in some kind of way. While you are so busy trying to keep your co-workers from knowing they are busy trying to hide it from you too. But, as Christians, if we never stumble how can we show someone who hasn’t accepted Christ that this world won’t sometimes get crazy and hard? How can I tell a sinner that he can repent and God will forgive them if I act like I never sin? How can I show a doubter that God is truly real if I never show them how he changed me? Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” I don’t have to go around bragging about being broke but that doesn’t mean I have to look like it either. If God says he will supply all my needs according to his riches and glory (Philippians 4:19), then why should I doubt that?

Isn’t it crazy how we tend to put on blinders to certain things until something really bad happens? You know your friend is in a dangerous situation but you’d rather not say anything because you don’t want to hurt their feelings. But baby, the bible says in Proverbs 27:6 “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” See, sometimes the truth can hurt, especially from a friend, but like any wound, it’ll heal. Stop trying to sugar coat the fact that her husband is a cheater or an abuser. Stop beating around the bush when you need to tell your friend you saw his girl out with somebody else. Proverbs 12:22 says “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.” When you act faithfully in your telling, God won’t allow you to be hurt. Now, I didn’t say that your feelings wouldn’t be hurt but I said you. When you tell lies, you may be able to get away with it momentarily but the truth will eventually come out. Don’t believe me? Read Luke 8:17 which says “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” When you buy a gift for someone don’t you eventually get it from its hiding place in order for it to be given? Well, it’s the same with lies because the truth will have to one day be given to the person you’ve been lying too, so why even lie to begin with? I know that sometimes you tell a little lie to keep from hurting folks feelings but it’ll come back to bite you. You know how you allow your friend to go out looking like rainbow bright instead of telling her the truth when she asked or how you let your boy leave the house and you knew his pants were too tight. Yea, you’ve done it before to keep from hurting folks feelings but you’d rather lie when the truth would do. Stop it!

Stop hiding behind the truth and take off those shades so that you can truly see. Be honest with yourself and then be honest with those around you. This doesn’t mean be rude but just be honest. I don’t expect you to act like a therapist solving everyone’s problems but you should be able to listen to a friend without being judgmental and then giving them advice without being harsh. You can’t be mean, rude and unapproachable and expect to have friends because in order to be a friend you have to show that you are also friendly. God didn’t create us so that we would be alone. Why do you think he created Eve for Adam or a mate for even the smallest of animals? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” See, we were made to be companions and friends for one another to be there during the good and the bad, when you’re broke and when you strike it rich, when you’re sick and when you’re well and when you’re up or trying to get back up. With true friends, it doesn’t matter about the time in between or the months we may go without speaking because it’ll pick back up right where we left off. True friends don’t have to wait for an invitation to come over or even have to ask for permission to open the refrigerator. True friends know when your voice doesn’t sound right or your walk doesn’t look right. True friends can read between the lines and can even tell when your day is off through a text message or email. True friends know how to keep secrets and give real advice when it’s warranted. True friends are gifts from God and I cherish and I thank you God for my companion and for my friends, my true friends.

“I may not have the strongest back, but I’ll surely pull you up when you fall. I may not have all of the answers but I’ll answer when you call. I may not be rich but if I got it and you need it, I’ll share. If you need a shoulder to cry on, ears to listen and arms to hold you, I’ll be right there. I’ll be your leaning post for those days that make you stumble and I’ll be there to catch you when life makes you fumble. I’ll bring you medicine and juice on those days you may be sick and I’ll be right there through the thin and when the going gets thick. Even if you don’t see me on your worst day, I’ll be standing behind you; I’ll be the one whispering “God got you covered” and “he’ll see you through.” I’ll stand in front of you so you can use my shirt to wipe your tears and I’ll be right there with you calming all of your fears. I’ll go to the doctor with you and if you want to be alone, that’s ok because I won’t go far; I just go outside to pray so I’ll be waiting in the car. On those nights you have to pace because you may feel all alone, just call me and we’ll talk until you fall asleep on the phone. On the days when you feel like your cross is too heavy to bear, just know that I’ll always say I’ll be right there. I may not be a perfect Christian because I’m an unfinished work of art so if I do something wrong, charge it to my head and not my heart. See, God has made me who I am and he adds favor to me every day so I’m just trying to be acceptable to him by what I do and say. Love me for who I am and for whose I am because I can’t be anyone else so I’ll continue to be me and always be yourself!”
                                      Lakisha