Altered Images

 

It seems to me that we are increasingly living in a world of altered images. Since time began people have worked to alter what they look like using make-up and clothes to enhance or hide parts of their physical being. And of course we have all put on a face or best behaviour when we are in different people groups. We behave to fit into the situation we are in. I am sure we have all at some point or another been told to be on our best when visiting people like grandparents. We might have also have frowned when someone we know acts in a different way from the rest of the group we are in. Changes in fashion and protocol have changed because someone at some point has dared to do something different. At the point of change or new thing some will frown and others will see it as progression. For women in particular progression has brought a certain amount of freedom and comfort. The fact that I am wearing trousers today is a testament to women of the past who dared to be different. Whilst I enjoy some of the freedom I now have I can also see that it has also brought an imbalance in our society today. When women once fought to have equal rights to men we now have a society that puts women above men and therefore out of line with God’s intended order. It is interesting that some men prefer to dress and identify as woman and that there are woman who prefer to be seen as men.

Today we can pretty much order anything we want online and we can have surgical procedures to alter any part of body that we don’t like. Recently I heard a famous woman being congratulated for her new face. I am sure we all saw how Michael Jackson went from being a young black man into a white man with white features. We can all probably think of a famous person who has had surgery to keep themselves looking young and acceptable in their business. But rather than improving themselves they end up with stiff expressionless faces. There is a constant stream of adverts for products that will keep you young looking. Hair dyes to cover your greys and fillers to fill your wrinkles and gels to lift your eyes. I was recently shocked to hear  TV presenter list all the procedures she had missed during lockdown and was looking forward to having done again. The sad thing in all this is that we see it as a normal part of life, if you don’t do these things you are kinda odd. But each time we encourage these things we are also welcoming unreality into society.

I don’t know about you but I have noticed that we are being drawn more and more into altering images. We can alter who we are on our online profile. After all if it is online people won’t know the truth? Of course we have seen the dangerous results this can bring with online grooming. Not only can we alter the truth of our details we can also change what we look like too. Photos can be altered so much the we end up looking totally different what we can’t change with make-up we can change digitally. Of course we can be humorous with this by adding things like bunny ears, put on silly classes and hats to be comical. But then we can also blot out blemishes and get rid of excess weight so that we look flawless. They say that a camera never lies and I believe that to be true before the age of digital images and photoshop. Where we once relied on stories like the Chronicles of Narnia to enter magical lands to become someone different we now carry the ability to the this around in our pockets in our phones. Phone companies use the camera and gaming abilities of their phones to sell the product. Rather than a phone being used as a phone it has become a handy toy to play games on and watch TV where ever you are. The cameras have become so good that you can take a very ordinary photo and change it. Rather appreciate the natural beauty around us we can alter it to how we want it to be . We can change the colours and effects to make something appear different. I can take a picture of myself in my house but then change so that I am in the desert or mountain top. Or I can take my picture on a busy beach and take all the other people out of it. It’s like we are no satisfied with the natural but would rather have the unnatural. Whether we are changing our gender, loosing our greys, or adding effects to photo’s we are changing what is real and natural into something other, we are altering reality because we can.

The levels to which people will go to alter the truth or reality of who they are will differ. Some will go as far to change their gender or even cease to be called human. I watched an interview on a mainstream programme with a guy who was surgery by surgery changing into an alien. He was removing anything that identified him as a human, even his belly button. I have also seen articles about people who dress and behave as a dog when they are at home saying it gives them a chance to lead a different way in life. And another woman who dressed like a doll and when challenged became adamant that she was a doll and not a woman who simply dressed as one. I know these are extreme examples but they do make the point that this world can help us become anything we want. We seem all to keen to celebrate those who alter their image in drastic ways. This of course paves the way for people to further. If we celebrate those who alter themselves then we are by the fact saying that God’s creation is not good enough. `We move away from God’s created image and move into the hands of the enemy and his lies. We know that satan is the father of lies. (John 8:44).

We need to grasp hold of the fact that we can be unapologetically be who we are. In fact we can even celebrate who we are when we see ourselves as God Himself sees us. When we come to place of absolutely knowing we are created in His very image. We do not need to conform to what the world or anyone else would want us to be. One of the ways that God reveals Himself and teaches us is through the natural world of His creation so if we start to alter that then we are making God’s truth into what we want to be. We are somehow altering the truth of who God is and distorting His word. The digital age has brought many good things with it, it has also brought much harm as well. It has given us the opportunity communicate like never before but it has also brought us the ability to distort our true selves like never before as well. When we become a child of God we enter into a process of becoming more like Him. He takes away all negative impact that our life experiences have had on our thoughts, behaviours and attitudes so that we become more and more who He created us to be. The closer we walk with Jesus the more we live our live in reality. 

We need to be on our guard so that we don’t get drawn into distorting patterns of behaviour. And we need to know when deceit and falsehood are tempting us away from God. So how do we stay in reality and keep away from a world of altered images?

The bible has a lot to say about deception.

 

Psalm 116:11; Proverbs 20:17; Isaiah 28:15; Jeremiah8:5; 17;9; Micah 6:12;

Nahum 3:1; Romans 3:13;

Proverbs 12:20; Zechariah 10:2; Romans16:18; 2Corinthians 11:12-13; Ephesians 4:11-14; 2Timothy 3:13; Revelation 18:23

Genesis 3:4; Joshua 9:4; Judges 3:20; 20:29; 2Samuel 13:6; 2Kings 5:22; Jeremiah 12:6; 14:6; Matthew 2:8

 

So if we are too not be deceived what should we be? The bible teaches us to be in truth, a place of reality.

 

Psalm 119:14; 119:127; 119:162; 139:17; Proverbs 3:15; 23:23; 

2Timothy 2:15

Isaiah 42:3; John 1:14; 14:6; 18:37

Deuteronomy 32:4; 2Samuel 7:28; Psalm 33:4; 89:35; 115:1; 146:2; 

Isaiah 65:16; Romans 3:4; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18

1 Kings 22:16; Job 36: 4; Psalm 119:29; Proverbs 3:3; 12:19; 30:8; 

Zephaniah 3:13; Zechariah 8:16; Malachi 2:6; 2Corinthians 12:6; 

Ephesians 4:25; 6:14

 

Maybe it is time to take time with the Lord and ask Him to show you in what ways you might be altering images. Ask Him to restore you to His created image.