Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:22-25 (NIV)

A few years ago, I had the incredible experience of being able to visit and encourage fellow Christians in the East African nation of Uganda. I found that people there were fascinated by photographs....some carried their entire photographic history with them (pretty slim by U.S. standards--a small stack of photos). People also loved seeing the small album I carried with me--maps of the U.S. showing where I lived, photos of my family and my church family. If I had my camera out, I would be peppered with requests for photos to be taken and sent back to the subjects.

My sister and mom recently returned from Sri Lanka, where they were doing medical work. My sister commented on how fascinated people were with her digital camera and being able to see images of themselves (especially the beautiful children). She said she would have given any amount of money at that time to have had a Polaroid camera to be able to hand out pictures to the people of themselves.

Why is this? I'm thinking that in a Third World arena, resources are valuable. Mirrors, cameras, etc are not a high priority. Survival is. So, you may not have very many chances in your life to "see" yourselves as others see you. So images for self-examination are rare and precious.

So where am I going with this? (Bear with me, I think I have a point). My post on being "typecast" struck a chord with a few of my friends (see www.razorbackmama.blogspot.com and http://disenfranchisedhousewife.blogspot.com ). Evidently I am not the only woman who feels the pinch of the backhanded "compliments", the hidden smugness, and the useless loads of guilt that our culture of competitive motherhood (womanhood) has spawned.

Don't believe me? Come on; masks off here...have you ever had that little superior and/ or cringe- inducing voice rise up in you because you...

Gave birth at home/in the hospital/had a C-Section/were induced/accepted pain medication/went "natural"?

Breastfeed/bottle feed?

Are a health food nut or a junk food junkie?

Follow a particular philosophy of parenting?

Go to a certain church or hold fast to a particular "type" of Christianity?

Dress in a certain way?

Homeschool/unschool/privately school/send the kids to public or charter school/classically educate?

Have children who are "ahead"/"behind" their peers in development/academics/deportment?

Have a fantastically clean/"lived in"/chaotic home?

Work in the home/out of the home/volunteer/don't volunteer?

Ouch. Double ouch.

When those voices rise up--either to self congratulate or self-condemn, then I've forgotten what I look like. I've walked away from the word, I've forgotten who I am and what I'm worth in Christ, and chosen to measure myself by some man-(woman?) created standard and not by the grace that has been extended to me. I've missed the "Bought with a price" tag that defines who and what I am.

And when I forget what I really look like, I'm pretty much useless to my Father.

Feeling guilty about what I'm not doing, or feeling superior about what I am doing does no one any good. It doesn't encourage, correct, teach or bring joy to anyone. It doesn't come alongside my sister and love her.

Have you forgotten what you look like? What are you struggling with in your life? Does it reflect the standards of the Word of God, or does it seek the approval of man?

Come along side me as we look in the mirror together. This has unleashed a torrent of ideas that have been percolating in my heart for a long time, and I'm joyfully (and fearfully) anticipating exploring some of these thoughts. This is a not so subtle hint for some feedback (grin). Let's let iron sharpen iron. Until then,

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every thing good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV)