Have You Heard?

I often find myself springing off the couch and diving across the living room floor on Sunday afternoons during NFL games.  It’s not because I’m wildly celebrating the latest Broncos’ touchdown, nor is it because I’m reenacting the circus catch my eyeballs just witnessed. I’m actually just trying to get to the remote control in order to change the channel during commercial breaks so my kids aren’t subjected to the onslaught of vulgar commercials.

I was watching a game this weekend when the network quickly cut to break. The next sight was of a scantily clad woman strutting down a catwalk wearing next to nothing. The commercial, of course, was for Victoria’s Secret lingerie.  At the exact same time, my wife walked into the room wearing pajamas, she had a burp cloth draped over her shoulder, and she was holding our drooling two-month-old baby. It was a perfect picture of fantasy versus reality.

Ashley glanced at the commercial, and said, “Who can compete with that?” It was a good question, and I’m sure countless women have pondered the same thing—especially in a culture where provocative commercials seem to be the standard tool for marketing. 

In this case, Victoria was hardly whispering a secret. Her message was loud and clear (as with all commercials of this nature). The not-so-subtle message being declared with ear piercing volume was that YOU NEED THIS TO BE SATISFIED.   In essence, they want to capture your attention in order to plant a lie in your heart that you are missing out.

I assured Ash that she doesn’t have to “compete” with the illusion on the television screen. In fact, it’s actually quite the opposite--Miss Victoria Secret can’t compete with my pajama-wearing-burp-cloth-sporting bride.  Reality ultimately trumps fantasy every time. There is substance and joy in reality, but there is nothing but empty promises and harsh consequences with fantasy.

We see this truth clearly portrayed in the Garden.  Didn’t Satan come against Adam and Eve with the same essential lie that he’s telling today? “God is holding out on you,” he snarled, “You need this to be happy.” They turned their backs on friendship with God in order to pursue something that appeared to be pleasing to the eye. In the end, they were left with heartache, shame, and continual frustration.

The apple may change from person to person, but the lie surely remains. The enemy of your soul is terrified of the possibility that you may actually discover true and lasting joy. This is important for numerous reasons, but mainly because the joy of the Lord is your strength. He fears a joyful and strong version of you, so he continues to play the same deceitful card time and time again. He wants you to neglect what you currently have. He wants to distract you and cause you to look over the fence.

I'm reminded of the old saying: If the grass is greener on the other side, it's probably because you're not watering your own grass. I think there is a lot of truth in that simple statement. Watering our own grass requires work and intentionality, but it is surely the path to happiness. The happiness and joy that God desires for you to experience.

The happiest people I know are those who have embraced this truth.  They are faithful in their marriages. They are engaged with their kids. They are intentional in their friendships. They are content with their work.  They have discovered that they don’t need a hotter spouse or a bigger house, but they just need to appreciate what they already have. I see it in the contentment and joy that appears in their countenance.  It’s almost as if they know something the rest of the world hasn’t figured out yet.

I guess you can call it a secret.