Day 3 - Letting Go of Image Management
Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are. ~Brene Brown
As I write this I’m at a beautiful resort with a bunch of remarkable people. We are gathered here because we are all connected in some way to an incredible work that God is doing through the mission of SIM around the world. Some folks are board members, others are financial supporters, still others are speakers and musicians. There are also missionaries. Last night I met Nancy Writebol who was one of the two missionaries that contracted Ebola in Liberia while serving in the SIM hospital. She was evacuated to the U.S. and survived. Today she spoke about how she is just an ordinary person serving an extraordinary God. The world is not worthy of the quiet, “ordinary” saints I have met here. I’m humbled and honored to be part of this gathering.I find these kinds of gatherings both exhilarating and draining. Exhilarating because I love making new friends and hearing all the amazing stories; draining because I’m always teeter tottering on who I’m supposed to be! I have been a missionary myself. In fact, I grew up as a missionary kid in Honduras where I lived in a mud hut with a dirt floor and a thatched roof with no electricity or running water. Later, Bob and I served with a mission organization for over 20 years. I could tell a hundred amazing stories myself. But should I? Maybe it would sound like I’m boasting…?I’m also a supporter and board member’s wife. I get to hang out with people who have significant wealth and are eager to contribute to the good work of SIM. I’m always a little nervous about who I am around these new friends. Am I talking too much? Too little? Am I saying the right things? Am I wearing the right things? Do I sound intelligent, warm, and funny? How am I supposed to interact with this person? When I tell my story am I authentic or do I aggrandize it…or even put it down? Am I trying to be someone I’m not?It’s a delicate balance to be authentic in the midst of a schizophrenic culture that screams how we should all be the same but be different at the same time. It’s rather like walking a tightrope, isn’t it? Can’t lean too far one direction or the other for fear of falling off. Letting go of image management frees us from the tightrope.Scripture tells us, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good…and moves towards the goal of true maturity” (Romans 12:2, Philips). It seems that our culture would make us cookie-cutter people, from the clothes we wear to the cars we drive, the schools we go to and the houses we live in…even the kinds of stories we tell about our lives. But God has created us to be authentically unique. If I can gather enough courage to let go of managing my image, the gift I will receive in return is authentic maturity.Moving towards maturity is not a straight-line proposition, however. Last night I had the courage to buck the traditional high heals and wear my low-heeled cowboy boots with a dress because I didn’t want to be cold. But, today I stressed out over walking through the gorgeous resort lobby carrying white plastic bags containing snacks that said CVS on them in big red letters. Ugh! Letting go of image management and embracing all of who we are is a daily, courageous practice.