Confession #14 - Paper or Plastic? I'm NEITHER!

Paper or plastic?  It wasn't too long ago that cashiers were asking us that question.  Latley I've been thinking that the question shouldn't be paper or plastic it should be plastic or glass? 

There are thousands of things made out of plastic, toys, containers, parts, utensils, etc.  Plastic is a synthetic material, made from oil.  Plastic is inexpensive, strong, and durable.  It's basically made to take a lickin' n keep on tickin'.  Plastic products are fairly easily made - the chemical compound is poured into a mold and then it hardens.  When you drop plastic it generally bounces right back.

So what's my point?  Why the lesson in plastic?  Because lately I've seen a lot of plastic; plastic smiles, plastic emotions, plastic posts about how great life is when you know for a fact that it isn't.  I've seen it used and abused over and over again by people who wish to pretend that they aren't feeling that pain, they aren't having any problems, they have a "perfect" life.  I've struggled with plastic too.  In earlier blogs, I've admitted to being a people pleaser.  I've attempted to live like my heart was made out of indestructible plastic.  But God has been working on me about how living with a plastic heart is not helping anyone, least of all, myself. 

My blog is a series of "confessions" because I wish to purge the plastic out of my proverbial closet and get real so my fellow sisters in Christ can also find healing.  But if your not ready to do some housecleaning and purge the plastic out of your closet your seriously missing out on discovering real truth my friend.  That smile and the answer to how are you is as synthetic as your favorite Tupperware.  And contrary to what the media would have us believe God did not create us to be plastic Barbie dolls.

Look, I realize this getting real thing is really hard.  I know that some of you think you have a reputation to uphold.  Perhaps others look up to you and transparency can be risky.  We are terrified of appearing vulunerable or weak.  However, God's word says, "...truth will set you free.” John 8:32. 

I tend to think that God intended our hearts to be more like glass than plastic.  Glass is difficult to form,  it takes a refining heat and breath to shape and mold it into a workable piece.  Glass is transparent, we can't hide things inside it.  When light shines on glass a certain way it can refract into beautiful and colorful prisms.  Glass is heavy and can carry a strong burden but when it hits rock bottom it breaks easily into a million pieces.  

You see God wants us to be somewhat transparent, he wants our heart's facets to refract His light, and he wants us to be breakable so that only He can put us back together again.  God has breathed life into our hearts and allows us to go through the refiners fire to mold us into the women he wants us to be.  Plastic cannot stand up to the heat and eventually it's going to burn up and disintegrate into nothing. 

Mark 9:49-50
"Every one's going through a refining fire sooner or later, but you'll be well-preserved, protected from the eternal flames."

So what's it gonna be ladies?  Glass or plastic? 

"Dear Lord, thank you for giving me the desire to live a transparent life.  Thank you for breathing life into this delicate glass heart and refining me into the woman you want me to be.  When I'm tempted to substitute the truth for plastic remind me how I'm at risk for disintegrating.  Let your light refract through me so that the facets of your beauty will shine, and when I am broken, glue me back together again.  And for my precious sisters out there that are struggling between plastic and glass show them how to find the material you desire for them."  AMEN!