"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly,..." The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
I have lived the "Velveteen Rabbit" years lately, just for the last few. Something happens when you land in the midst of a very genuine group of people. When you surround yourself with people who exhale the love of Christ, it's contagious. I found myself in that spot a few years back and it led me to a very simple prayer yet a very difficult journey. The prayer? Lord, make me real. The journey? Best described by the old Skin Horse in the above quote in the children's book The Velveteen Rabbit. I prayed that prayer because I saw a lacking in myself that kept me from being effective for Christ. I recognized that a number of people at our church were effective because they wore no fronts, had no masks, spoke no idle words. I so disliked my front and my many masks and how I spoke idle words often just out of nervousness. I wanted to be real. Wasn't really sure exactly what that meant, how they got that way, why I didn't just have it naturally, I just knew whatever it took, I wanted to be real. I wanted to more about Christ and less about me. Wow, that was a few buttons, a lot of hair and a couple of popped out eyes ago and I'm still not there! Becoming real is painful. It involves confession, sacrifice, and correction. For me, it's involved all that and more. It is worth it though. Growing pains always seem to hurt, but growth is a good thing. It's a sign that we're being really loved a lot. Kind of like what the Skin Horse tells the rabbit in the story, "When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." But in this life it's God doing the loving.
Hebrews 12:6-11
verse 11--Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Oh Angel, I too have had a similar cry in my heart, especially since I met my Lord and Savior. I WANT people to know that I care, that I'm concerned, that I want to help, that I want to be Jesus to them..........I want to be genuine...or REAL as you said. Being real demands that we lay our own flesh down to be able to carry others along the way. I love you Angel and I LOVE the REALNESS I see in you. You never ever cease to bless my heart and I can only imagine how much you must bless the heart of God.
ReplyDeleteAngel,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for visiting with me at my blog. I so love hearing from my readers. There's so many great posts here on your own blog, that I know I am going to have to bookmark you so I can catch up on all the great reading.
Blessings,
~Mrs. M
What a prayer, what a desire...and oh what a journey to get there... I want to be REAL too and I've never heard it captured quite this way, but you are so right, we wear masks for whatever reason...but when people are REAL that is when they are effective...Oh Lord help us be more REAL..Thanks for sharing this wonderful post
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