Letting down our guard and sharing our true self is easier said than done. Our guard is an important part of us, serving us well until it doesn’t anymore.
We are handmade uniquely in our Creator’s image (Genesis 1:27) and filled with the living breath of God (Genesis 2:7). Freshly formed from our Father’s fingers, we each come into the world “naked and unashamed” (Genesis 2:25). But it does not take long before God’s enemy appears in our sandbox, luring us away from playing with God, tricking us into playing with fire (Genesis 3:1-4).
We see, we want. We want, we grab. We grab, we eat. (Think: toddler munching Cheerios embedded in old carpet.) We take and we eat whatever our heart desires before hurting others with our sinful nature (Genesis 3:5-6). The trouble with trouble is it first feels like fun.
Then WHAM our eyes are opened, our flaws are exposed. In shame we fabricate our own flimsy coverings (Genesis 3:7). Perfect smile. Impressive clothes. Little white lie after little white lie.
In the cool of the day, we hear the sound of our divine Daddy strolling. We scurry behind a bush, hiding, covering. Our shame is layered, covering upon covering, hiding place after hiding place (Genesis 3:8).
Still seeing our soul, God’s voice somehow finds us, “Where are you?” Our voice trembles back, “I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I’m imperfect, naked and ashamed” (Genesis 3:9-10).
Out of fear we cover ourselves, we self protect our flaws. Our defenses serve us well until they begin to define our death. Eventually, our false armor becomes too heavy to bear and our true self, made in God’s image and sustained by God’s breath, clamors to grow free.
Our shame screams, “No, no! Cover yourself up.” Our LORD whispers, “I see you. I accept you. I love you just as you are.” Our inner war rages until awareness wins: the person God designed me to be is dying inside, closed off, covered over, hiding in hurt.
When hiding hurts more than telling our truth, we risk authenticity.
