The Real You

Who really knows you? Not the you on Facebook, or the you at work, but the one who, when no one else is looking, bears your name. Some of us would say that our close friends know us, but rarely do those friends know what we are like at work. Most of us would say that our family knows us, but how much does mom really know after we have moved out and started a family of our own? Or, how much does our spouse see when, thanks to the internet, we can have multiple secret accounts? Do we even really know ourselves?

The truth is that, no matter how well we advertise ourselves, everyone views us a little differently. Our friends from childhood view us differently from our friends now. Our co-workers view us differently than our children.  We even see ourselves in light of what we picture as the ideal in ourselves. No, there is only one person who can see real us; God himself (1 Sam 16:7b). The Bible says that God can peer so deeply into the real us, that he can even distinguish between the soul and the spirit (Hebrews 4:12). This isn't a basis for trichotomy, but a reminder that God knows us more intimately than we even know ourselves. It is because of this clear understanding of us that God is in the best position to understand our needs, to direct our steps, and to assess our decisions. 

Ultimately, God is the one who can see the real you. That may horrify you, but consider one thing. Even after seeing you this way, He still decided that you we worth dying for to redeem. So, may I ask the real you a question? Are you ready to live following after Him?​