Removing Unwanted Blemishes

Today I discovered a super easy way to remove blemishes from digital pictures. A few mouse clicks, and unwanted facial marks disappeared, resulting in smooth, flawless skin. All it took was downloading a software program, reading a 10-minute tutorial, and spending a few more minutes clicking in the changes.

I couldn’t have been happier with the results.

Now if I could only carry over those quick and easy fixes into real life. What I wouldn’t give to have my skin smooth and unblemished.

And I’m not the only one.

In the United States, especially, we have an obsession with our outward appearance. A 2009 report cites Americans as spending more than $7 billion on cosmetics per year. Significantly more is spent on cosmetic surgeries annually.

Outwardly, we want everything to appear perfect. Perhaps under the façade that if we look the part, it will become a reality: No facial blemishes, no inner ones.

It is easy to think if we look good, we are good.

We get in the trap of hiding who we are in the attempt to prevent others from seeing our character defects, covering our inner flaws with layers of concealer.

Unfortunately, over time, we get used to living as someone we are not. It becomes comfortable presenting ourselves as a touched-up portrait, instead of the real us. The real person becomes obscured.

Eventually, though, the mask we’ve become will crack. The marred, sinful flesh-and-blood human is exposed for all to see.

The only way to experience a true makeover is to turn to the Creator of you. He knows what the real you looks like. He knows the ugliness that mars your intended beauty. And He has the correct formula to restore your radiance, to make you a reflection of Him.

Much better than the surface fixes of cosmetics or photo-enhancing programs, the Lord performs a deep-down treatment, one that doesn’t just touch-up the blemishes, but gets rid of them—as if they were never there.

By opening ourselves up to the Savior’s touch, we become more like Him. We begin to take on more and more of Christ’s appearance.

The flaws disappear, and we radiate love and grace. We become more of who we were created to be:

“So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27).

So tear off the mask and put on Christ. Invite Jesus in to examine your life, not just for a touch-up, but for a complete overhaul, to make you a new person in Him. In doing so, you will finally be free to show the world the real you.

The only way to experience a true makeover is to turn to the Creator of you. Click To Tweet

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Reflection for you: Have you had a past of hiding the real you? Perhaps you still do. There is freedom in Christ. Lay it all at His feet, burdens, treasures, and joys, and become a new creation, blemish-free.

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Joy gems #508–529. Browse them all here:

• Mother/daughter time w/ Mom, never too old for that; Mean game of Aggravation w/some of my fav. people; son memories
• (in His Word) Psalm 51:10-13; Ephesians 2:4-6; 2 Corinthians 4:10
• (at 11, 2, 6) a room full of people who truly care about children w/ disabilities; time for writing; potato bar—yum
• Jesus choice to die for me; Resurrection Easter Egg hunt & devotion; Dying Easter eggs w/ the entire clan present
• brilliant pearl moon; having all the children home most of the day; Connect 4 Launchers tournament
• walking in grass; He is risen; celebrating Easter with all but two of my family
• Driving again; photo-imaging; so much light raining down
• Newness in Christ