But is that who they really are? Is that who we really are?
I think we all have a TV face we put on as soon as we're put into uncomfortable situations. I think that TV face protects us from showing our vulnerability.
I think teenagers do it at school, adults do it at work, christians do it at church, etc. We fake it.
Teenagers use it to act like they're better than everyone. They make fun of the weak, they look down on the smart.
Adults use it to suck up to their boss in hopes of a promotion. They snarl at their co - workers who get praised for good work and make them feel as if their success was merely good enough.
Christians use it to act as if they're sinless. Good people who don't make mistakes and always read their bibles.
But we're none of those people are we?
We're all plastering on a smile and acting like we're better than we are. No worries, no stress, and certainly no self esteem issues...right?
Wrong.
To build ourselves up, we tear others down.
"Whats your grade in calculus?" A C - averaged student asks a straight - A student. "A. Yours?" The straight - A student replies. "C. Yours is too good. You must be cheating. Either that or you don't have a life and all you do is study." The C - averaged student accuses.
"Guys!" Exclaims a lady who just got called into her bosses office. "I was so terrified. I thought I was getting fired, but in all reality he praised me for doing that bulletin board last week." Her co - worker who refused to do the bulletin board because she was too busy snaps "Well, it's only because he was happy you finally did something. It would've been better if I'd have done it. Too bad I was busy. Oh, and I don't like the color you used. It doesn't fit the topic."
A older christian lady at church sits in her pew reading the bible. "Which scripture are you reading?" The young girl asks as she sits down. "Ah, young one. Re reading. I've read the whole bible countless times. I've probably got it memorized. And I abide by it. You should do as I do, it'll grow your faith." The young girl knows this isn't true. The lady is her next door neighbor and is always shouting mean things out of her door at her two small grandchildren. She's never seen her read the bible before either, she's pretty sure this is one of the few and rare times she's read it.
Instead of putting on our TV face on and acting as if we aren't humans who don't have problems or issues, we should be real with people. We should stop acting like we're better than they are, and we should stop tearing people down for the benefit of ourselves.
© Madison B Barrett
ns 15.158.61.8da2
