#nofilter

Instagram is a tricky thing. The hipster wannabe that I am is in love with the program. Suddenly, I can appear to be a professional photographer, snapping shots of the sunset, or even my meal. All of this off of a simple iPhone camera, and ta-da, there is a fantastic ego-boost awaits. The fact is though, the photo is still an amateur 5 megapixel shot, covered up with filters appearing to be something with depth.

My goodness how I love that word picture in relation to the Christian walk. How easy is it to cover ourselves up with "filters." Are we the hipster Christian, complete with oversized glasses, skinny jeans, and combat boots? I have nothing against this image...frankly, I secretly love it. But a problem arises when we attach ourselves to a trend of the world for any form of security. Do the logos on our shirts allow us to find a "niche"? Does our style place us in a select group of people where we find our identity?

This has been one of the greatest struggles for me attending a university founded under the Christian faith. There is certainly a mission field, yet I am SAFE carrying my bible on campus. I am SAFE attending bible study. I am SAFE putting a bible verse as my status. I feel safe as a Christian. I can place whichever filter on myself and always feel included and secure.

I have been convicted of just how foolish this is. Our savior strongly warns against finding security in this world. John 18:36 states, that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world. If we declare that we believe in the saving power of Jesus, we cannot also live a dual life pleasing to the flesh. You see, two kingdoms cannot reign on earth at once. Jesus' Kingdom is eternal and is pure. The tainted earth cannot exist alongside the purity of our Heavenly Father.

Sometimes, filters do not make anything better, do they? The new trend of hashtagging  "#nofilter" has a sort of cache to it. Now, the original is more beautiful than any manipulation or conforming. Now that is refreshing. We need not gravitate towards a filter of this world. We were made exactly as God designed us, for His purposes, and for His glory.   We cannot place a label on ourselves and manipulate the original for acceptance, security, or popularity.

Why?  First, we were made exactly as we were for a very important reason, exactly as we are. No cosmetic surgery. No fashion sense makes you worthy. And second, gravitating towards the world's filters reveal that we are not happy with God's already perfect plan, or we believe the world has a better design for our lives. And this is where it is scary. The world is steeped in sin and is very ready to place a filter on you. The world does not want an original. The world wants the vulnerable.

We can choose to live imperfectly for a perfect God. Or, we can chose to "appear perfect" for an imperfect world. It is our choice. And, He is the answer.

John 15:19 
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.