The Real Me...

The Real Me is the one I try real hard to not let anyone see, but if you want to meet the real me, come over to my house and watch my children for a day...

My children are a reflection of the real me that I hide from the rest of the world.  My children who are born with a sin nature and a rebellious heart are a mirror image of what's in my heart.  Caleb with his anger.  Jordan with her sass.  Isaiah with his complaints.  Andrew with his temper tantrums.  All of them with their impatience and selfishness.  I get so frustrated when I see all of these things in them, until God reminds me, that's a picture of the real me. 

The real me is lazy like my kids who don't want to clean their rooms.  The real me is impatient and unkind with anyone who impresses on my time or gets in my space.  The real me doesn't want to eat my veggies, I want sugar instead.  The real me is angry that things don't always go my way.  The real me would rather watch stuff I shouldn't than spend time in God's word.  The real me is tempted by everything.  The real me is jealous.  The real me is mean.  The real me is out for #1.

This morning when I was making breakfast my two middle sons complained the whole time about what I was making.  They don't want to eat healthier.  They like cereal and pancakes covered in syrup, who doesn't.  Oh me I would rather make that stuff, it's yummy and then I wouldn't have to fight with them.  Instead I continue to make the healthy food that no one wants, because it's better for them, even if they don't care.   As I cook I grow angrier and angrier at my children for being so hard to deal with, AND THEN...  The Lord places the scene of the children of Israel in my minds eye.  Complaining about EVERYTHING.  Disobedient at every turn.  Rebellious and Hardheaded.  Problem is he wasn't showing me that because of my ungrateful children, he was showing me how he has to deal with the same thing from all of his children (including ME).  Then He so graciously pointed out that my children are a reflection of the real me.  The one that they get to see.  The one who is not perfect inside the walls of this house.  The one who complains all the time.  The one who loses her temper all the time.  The one who would rather go back to Egypt then follow God in this wilderness. 

Oh yes, I can fool myself at times, but I have no goodness apart from Christ.  The fruit of the Spirit in my life...  love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control ONLY COME FROM HIS SPIRIT.  The real me as at war with the Spirit in me all the time.   Galatians 5:24-25 tells us "and they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."    Crucify the Flesh...  That's what I have to do on a daily basis, because when I became a follower of Christ I didn't become perfect.  Everyday I have to die to MY, MY, MY affections and lusts...  Do you see that?  MY affections and lusts...  I still have them, I just have to KILL THEM and live in the Spirit.  My children haven't learned to do that yet, so when you see them misbehave just know they are a reflection of me.