Reading another book I stumbled
upon an excerpt to an article by Dr. Perry Buffington entitled
"Playing Charades". The article apparently explored the human
race's general lack of transparency in certain
situations:
When individuals walk into
an automobile showroom
Buffington discovered
that most people try to hide their true emotions in an attempt to
protect themselves from aggressive salesmen. They will tend to act
unaffected with what they see, even though their heart may be
racing.
When individuals walk into
the lobby of an upscale hotel
In this instance,
people tended to act with an air of importance in an attempt to
come across as a person comfortable and at home in lavish
surroundings.
When individuals enter a
church
As they take their
seat in the sanctuary, they will act with an air that they have
nothing to hide from God and fellow worshippers. They will put on a
sacred air in their conversations even though they are
uncomfortable with who they know they truly are on the inside. This
article proposes that we have become skilled at acting
authentic, faking our relationship with
God.
I have no idea how Buffington came
to his conclusions. Meaning I am unsure if he measured heart rates
unawares or administered confidential questionnaires. He may have
just been making assumptions. Sad part is, whether he has
empirical data to back up his findings or not, I believe
his conclusions are true for many of us. I think of
my stepfather, whom I call Dad because he is Dad to me.
He has been married to my mother for nearly forty years. My Dad is
a small man and with some exception has always been very
physically active and fit. This being said, when we were kids
and a photograph was taken which included him he always sucked
in his gut and smiled when asked to say Cheese! (just before the
picture was snapped). His gut was not usually "hanging out" but
regardless he cheated a little and sucked it in when he knew
he would be captured on film forever. I cannot imagine that
anyone reading this could relate to such
behavior......
I am not suggesting that we should
not try to look our best. I most certainly buy and wear clothes
that fit me for a reason. A large man wearing clothes that are
too tight is not how I want to appear to others. There is only so
much "trickery" one can employ though as a very large man is still
a very large man even if his clothes fit him......
It is important however I think to
examine when we are not being transparent (in what social
situations, in the company of whom) and even more importantly why.
It is said to think that we may be the least transparent in the
place where we would expect to be the most transparent, namely in
the church and in the presence of the rest of the Body. It brings
me back to the beauty part of our Heavenly Father. we do not need
to hide from Him. We can be exactly as we are, exactly as He made
us.
K
Ministries 
