Camera Shy

Our sweet ewe, Madeleine, isn’t the least bit camera shy. Every chance she gets, she inches into the frame with an expression on her face that says “Look at me!”  By contrast, I avoid being caught on camera (unless I’m hugging a sheep, then all bets are off). More often than not, when a lens turns my way, I’ll conveniently turn my back or feign something else to do. 

Turning our backs is something that seems to be wired into us — at least since The Fall. When Adam and Eve were feeling ashamed, they turned their backs to their Creator and hid from Him in the Garden. When relationships go south or disagreements arise, we turn our backs to the very friends, family, or colleagues we once loved or admired. And heaven knows, a turned back is a grand opportunity for gossips and others to say things about us they wouldn’t dare say to our face.  It seems that nothing good comes from turning our backs at all, especially when an honest, face-to-face conversation — the truth, spoken softly, plainly, and in love — could heal the hurt and division.

They walked in the hardness of their hearts

And turned their backs, not their faces to me.

~Jer. 7:24

These are the plaintive words of God himself. One can sense the pain and yearning in His voice for his people. Have you ever turned your back on God? Maybe you didn’t mean to. Maybe in the heat of the moment, you made a decision contrary to God’s will. Maybe you suffered deep disappointment, failure, or even tragedy and said, maybe this God thing isn’t for me.  No judgement. Most of us have been there at some point in our lives. 

The world is full of hardened hearts. Can you imagine how God feels when he longs to see the faces of his beloved children but sees only proud backs instead?  The hard truth is, whenever we choose sin, we turn away from our Creator. What if we had an honest, face-to-face conversation with Him about our struggles instead? What if we turned toward him and let His light shine on our present darkness?

Your eyes. Your nose. Your smile. That dimple in your cheek. That wrinkle over your brow. God created, knows, and loves every inch of your face. Our God loves being face-to-face. How do we know? 

Because He showed His very own face to us in Christ Jesus.

( AI image based on the Shroud of Turin (Left) )

They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.

~ Ps 34:5