Robert, my hubby, retired back in October and has ben able to resume his favorite hobby, model car building.  It is therapy, relaxation and fun all wrapped into one, and he is very good at it.  This last model he bought a different case for it, one that included diorama pieces to go inside the model case with the car.

Dioramas are defined as “a model representing a scene with 3 dimensional figures, often in miniature”.  Sad to say in my childhood years and school projects, they very seldom represented an actual scene very well!  But in this model, there are extremely realistic pieces made of plastic that Robert glued to cardboard, etc and the resulting scene is amazing.  It looks completely real.

Just like this model, there are days that my spiritual life feels like a diorama.  I am in my usual places, doing my usual stuff, and saying all the right words.  I read my Bible and pray, smile at people, and go through my day looking totally normal.  Only I know the truth – that there’s very little “real” going on.  And I am not alone.  I see people every day who say they are ok but they aren’t.  I wait on customers who smile at their wildly energetic children, and yet their eyes say “i am SO tired of dealing with all this”.  I know of other people who look like the perfect couple, and their life is full of distrust and lost love.

There are times that we must do that in order to keep jobs and/or not be arrested for acting out on those feelings! Unfortunately, we have taken that habit of “hiding” into every part of our lives.  It can be very risky to be more real, less plastic.

AND YET!  God has called His people to be genuine, authentic examples of what life with Him is all about. We can’t do that if we pretend that we have everything under control and are always doing great.  So next time you feel the need to say “fine” when asked how you are doing, remember this picture.  And remember that people who really know you or see you every day will know when the “diorama” is on display!