Awesome Descriptions

 

“Look, it’s a catalog!”  I said, holding up the mail for my family to see.

When I was a boy, we got lots of catalogs in the mail.  There was the Oriental Trading Company – which had catalogs of cheap items photographed in such a way that they looked worth buying.  Then there was the Sharper Image which always had sci-fi appearing devices for purchase that were supposed to make your life better.  On top of those, there were companies like Montgomery Ward and Sears whose catalogs were mostly filled with clothing.

These days, the only catalogs I get are from nurseries and seed companies.  When they start to arrive, it is an indication that spring isn’t too far away.

Of course, all of the seeds sound like they produce amazing vegetables.  The description for each variety sounds as though it will produce the sweetest musk melon, the biggest pumpkin, or the largest harvest of green beans.  I often wonder if the folks writing the descriptions have actually raised the varieties themselves or if they are simply men and women who are experienced in writing advertising copy who decided to ply their trade in the direction of selling gardening supplies.

“Listen children,” I said to them as I opened the catalog.  “This is a ‘burpless’ cucumber.  This is what we have been waiting for all these years!  You have no idea how disgusting it is to go down to the garden to weed and have to listen to those cucumber vines burping away!  Oh, and this muskmelon says that it has succulent and melodious sweetness – I don’t know what that means, but I guess we should get it to find out!”

Most of us try to put our best foot forward when we interact with other people.  It isn’t that we lie about who we are, but whether we are interviewing with for a job, or talking with people after church, we want to look and sound our best.

The problem is that we end up hiding the areas of our lives where we are struggling.  It could be finances, or struggles with one of our children, or even just feeling emotionally worn down, but since we love Jesus, we somehow think that means we should have it all together.

“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

As I think about the meaning of this verse, it strikes me that in order for other people to help us bear our burdens, we have to be transparent enough that they are aware of our struggles.  It isn’t about trying to look like we are overachieving but rather sharing honestly – at least with some people – about areas where we need prayer.

It may feel good to act as though, like those who are home on the range, we seldom hear a discouraging word, but the reality is often far from that.  Telling others that we only deal with “melodious sweetness” in our homes may feel easier than being honest about the real struggles, but each of us needs help carrying burdens and the beginning of that is honesty with a community of believers – not ad copy about how awesome we and the people around us are.