In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) With these few words, John launches into a powerful description of Jesus, building to the incredible declaration, In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

 

From the very outset, John wanted us to know who Jesus really is, not what He had done. For this Disciple, Jesus' true identity needed to be grasped before we could understand anything else. I wonder if we would have continued reading if he had begun,

 

The story of Jesus---a wanderer who cursed religious leaders, rebuked his few friends, spoke of love but displayed a serious temper, said he was a man and claimed to be God, never fought back, never defended himself, and in the end died a horrible death...betrayed and alone.

 

Probably not. For this to make sense, we must begin with who Jesus truly is. Before we can decide to follow Him, we must be able to say, "I know who You are." And if we do follow Him---walk as He walked, live as He lived---others should be able to look at us and say, "I know who you are."

 

Ah, but that can be difficult. We want people to see us as devout, caring, wonderful people--- always loving, merciful and forgiving, never angry, jealous or judgmental. In other words, we don't want them to know the truth...that we're still learning and make mistakes, even big ones.

 

Anne Lamott, one of my favorite authors, is a sometimes colorful, always transparent child of God. In her writings, she reveals two truths which apply here. The first is subtle: "The difference between you and God is that God doesn't think He's you."

 

Hopefully we don't think we're God, but often we act as though we must be God to others---filled to overflowing with love, joy and peace, having faith that moves mountains, while entirely void of the self-centered desires of our former natural self. Yet none of us fit that description, nor ever can.

 

Still, we don't want anyone to think less of Jesus because of our own failings. So we hide behind a façade, pretending to be something we are only striving to become. We give the illusion we have already arrived while, in fact, we are still on the journey.

 

That's where Anne's second truth comes in: "When people have seen you at your worst, you don't have to put on the mask as much." Has anyone seen you at your worst?

 

For myself, a few come to mind, one being my younger brother, Mike, of whom I am very proud. Graduate of Georgia Tech. Thirty-six-year accomplished employee of Southern Company and Georgia Power. Faithful to God, family, church and friends. Great husband, father, uncle. Not a shabby golfer.

 

Over the years he's been a close brother, even in spite of myself. There was a time I may have thrown a dart in anger and impaled his hand. I may have once shot him in the rear with a BB gun. Some say I may have accused him of breaking my arm. Maybe. Possibly.

And yet when I was in a deep depression, he reached out to help me. He was there cheering for my kids before he had any of his own. He knows me...and loves me anyway.

 

Anne's message was not to show how bad we can be, but to avoid hiding behind a mask. We should be honest with who we really are---sinners saved by grace, who still have problems, difficulties, struggles and troubles as we follow the One who stays closer to us than even a brother ever could.

 

There are those who see us at our worst...yet still care for us. They hear us vent unrighteous anger...but come when we cry. They know who we really are...and never regret being known as our friend. I pray you will cherish them in your life.