Real or Fake

I love the Hunger Games book series. There is so much packed into to those three teen novels - if you have not read them yet, I highly recommend you read them, especially before the movie comes out. To avoid spoilers, I'll speak in general terms.

In the third book they start playing this game called "real or fake" to deal with the excessive propaganda and brain-washing campaigns waged against them. Its a handy game. One character will say a memory, or a feeling, and the others will say "real" if it actually happened, or "fake" if it was an implanted or manipulated thought or event placed in his head by the Capital.

Sort of similar to the "real or fake" game, another character comes up with another coping mechanism to determine reality. She starts with the very basics. Her name. Then her place of birth. Then as she is sure of more information, she adds it to her list.

Sometimes life can be confusing. Not Capital-style brain-washing confusing, but we do live in a world full of media and noise and influences in every which direction. My best friend Erin even reminded me today on the phone that the enemy loves this, relishes this confusion. He even causes it in some cases, purposely pitting people against one another.

Today is my birthday - real.

I had a really bad day - real.

My kids made me feel like the most special person in the world today, and that made my day infinitely better - real.

I am a child of God, and He loves me, is for me, and nothing can separate me from His love - real.

On days like today, when affirmation and condemnation are all wrapped up together; when beautiful homemade cards filled with love and presents wrapped by small hands in paper towels are offered up after phone calls filled with tears, I choose to remember the real.

God has formed our family - real.

Even when I am alone, I am not alone - real.

I remember back when I was a freshman in college and I went to work at a Young Life camp up in New York for a summer. I happen to be there for "urban" month, which was kind of fun until a huge brawl broke out in the dining hall between the kids from inner city DC and inner city Philadelphia. That was actually terrifying. But the music was all gospel choir inspired, and the whole feel of the camp was very different than times I had spent at other YL camps. At the back of the small, campy, club building was taped a piece of construction paper that someone had written on in permanent marker. It simply said "Audience of 1" on it. I loved that. The speaker or whoever was doing a skit could look directly at that sign and remember that no matter who was actually physically in attendance that night, that the real audience is always just one person, and that is God.

I will try my best to live my life not for others approval, or disapproval, but for God and to fulfill the call He has given me - real.



"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10