What You Don’t Know

Last Monday was a somewhat typical day for me.  I had to attend 3 meetings, make a short presentation and attend a board meeting.  I would like to think I pulled off the day with great success.  However, what if I told you my shoe was being held together by Gorilla Glue and could have come apart at any moment.   I probably shouldn’t tell you, but I will, that under my suit jacket, my shirt was partially unzipped because it was too tight and I couldn’t breathe with it zipped.  Looks can be so deceiving.  On the outside, I appeared to have my act together, but in reality, I was uncomfortable and tiptoeing gingerly with every step not to put too much strain on my shoe.

Life can be the same way.  We work so hard to put on the appearance that everything is perfect and we have it all together when it truth, that isn’t the case.  I have no doubt that many times we are sitting next to someone and thinking they have the perfect life while in reality we may have no idea what is going on.  It could be they had a huge fight with their teenage child that morning and are worried about how it is going to play out when everyone gets back home tonight.  It could be they have felt a growing lump and are trying to get into a doctor while every thought is filled with fear.  It could be bills are coming due at a higher rate than pay is coming in.

I have two points I want to make here.  The first one is for the girl trying to hold it together, but barely doing so.  I get that sometimes we have to “put on those big girl panties,” and hold it together to get a job done or know that we are just doing the best we can until something in our life changes.    I want to tell the girl is who is putting on this façade every day and pretending that everything is perfect that it is okay to let someone know.  You don’t have to hold it together alone.  Then to all of the other ladies out there who are admiring that perfect friend and trying so hard to be like them, this friend may not be as perfect as you think.  Really what your friend may need instead of your admiration is your kindness, or your willingness to listen.

I’m so thankful for a suit jacket and Gorilla Glue.  My day would have been a disaster without them.  What I pray is that as Jesus directed in John 7:24 that I “Do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment.”  That is I pray that I see others through the eyes of the Lord, not through my earthly eyes.  How is this possible?  Only through prayer and knowing the heart of the Lord.   Philippians 1:9 states “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,”  This tells me that through prayer our love for others and the ability to see their needs can increase if we seek it.

Author: Angela Grunewald

Just a mom/wife/educator who loves the Lord and wants to share my thoughts. View all posts by Angela Grunewald