Social media lies.
Or perhaps more accurately, I lie on social media.
It’s this thing inside of me - this thing inside all of us humans - this thing called the need for approval.
It can be so ugly. And yet, I’m addicted.
Let me be honest. My social media? It isn’t honest.
On Instagram I look through filter after filter after filter and think, “Which one makes my teeth look white?” or “Which one is more artsy and hipster and will make me seem cool?”
On Twitter I try to think of tweets that will cause people to think I’m incredibly witty or maybe even think I’m profound.
On Facebook I want likes likes, baby.
This need for approval that sits in the very depths of my bones cries out: “LIKE ME!”
Don’t we all just want to be liked?
Yeah, my social media is a fat lie. If you saw me - if you really, really saw me - would you like me? If my photos went unfiltered, my thoughts tweeted without abandon, my life displayed honestly for all to see, would you like me?
This is the truth: my unfiltered photos, my unruly thoughts, my uncontrollable life - God sees that. And God loves that.
My anger, my greed, my bitterness - God sees that. And God loves that.
Gossip that seeps through my lips, lies that fall from my tongue, thoughts that run through my head - God sees that. And God loves that.
My hopelessness, my brokenness, my helplessness - God sees that. And God loves that.
The way I alter my life on social media - altered, misshaped, moulded and puttied to look beautiful (when most times it isn’t beautiful at all) - God sees that. And God loves that.
You see, God has seen me at my worst. And can I tell you something? My worst is bad. And yet God sees that. And God loves that.
So - yes. I lie on social media. I want to be liked. I want to be accepted. I want to be approved.
(And I so badly hope we get to the point where we feel we don’t need to embellish our lives to make them seem something they’re not. Let me tell you - I hate this lying.)
But in all that - in all that faking and lying and hoping to seem better than I ever will be - God sees me. And He loves me.
And He likes me.
There's nothing I can I do - no matter how much I mess up, and no matter how hard I try - that could ever lessen God's relentless love for me.
And? He sees you, and He loves you, and oh yes - He likes you too.