Our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Apr 3, 2017, 1:24:19 AM4/3/17

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You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you. Isaiah 43:4

To celebrate Winston Churchill’s eightieth birthday, the British parliament commissioned artist Graham Sutherland to paint a portrait of the celebrated statesman. “How are you going to paint me?” Churchill reportedly asked the artist: “As a cherub, or the Bulldog?” Churchill liked these two popular perceptions of him. Sutherland, however, said he would paint what he saw.

Churchill was not happy with the results. Sutherland’s portrait had Churchill slumped in a chair wearing his trademark scowl—true to reality, but hardly flattering. After its official unveiling, Churchill hid the painting in his cellar. It was later secretly destroyed.

Like Churchill, most of us have an image of ourselves we want others to have of us also—whether of success, godliness, beauty, or strength. We can go to great lengths to conceal our “ugly” sides. Perhaps deep down we fear we won’t be loved if the real us is known.

When the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, they were seen at their worst. Because of their sins, God allowed their enemies to conquer them. But He told them not to fear. He knew them by name, and He was with them in every humiliating trial (Isa. 43:1–2). They were secure in His hands (v. 13) and “precious” to Him (v. 4). Despite their ugliness, God loved them.

We will find ourselves less motivated to seek the approval of others when such a truth truly sinks in. God knows the real us and still loves us immeasurably (Eph. 3:18).

God’s deep love means we can be real with others.
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因我看你为宝为尊，又因我爱你。-以赛亚书43章4节

为了庆贺邱吉尔的八十大寿，英国国会委托画家萨瑟兰为这位政治家画一幅肖像。据称当时邱吉尔曾询问画家：“你要把我画成什么样子？像天使基路伯，还是一只斗牛犬？”即使邱吉尔很喜欢他的这两个公众形象，但萨瑟兰却回答说，他会将自己所看到的画出来。

邱吉尔对成品并不满意。在这幅肖像画中，邱吉尔在座椅中，摆出一贯眉头深锁的表情。画作虽十分逼真，却并不讨喜。因此这幅画在公开亮相后，就被邱吉尔藏入地窖，后来私下销毁。

我们像邱吉尔一样，都有个希望别人能看到的形象，可能是成功、敬虔、美丽或有能力的形象。我们努力隐藏自己“丑陋”的一面，或许是害怕真实面一旦揭露，自己会让人厌恶。

以色列人被掳到巴比伦时，正是他们最“丑陋”的时候。上帝因他们的罪而容许他们被掳。但上帝告诉他们不要怕，因祂按著名字认识他们，在他们受苦蒙羞的试炼中与他们同在（以赛亚书43章1-2节）。他们在上帝手中是安稳的（13节），在上帝眼中被看为宝贵（4节），他们虽然丑陋，仍为上帝所爱。

当我们确实相信这个真理，就不会再汲汲营营追求他人的认同。上帝认识我们真实的面貌，并以无法测度的爱来爱我们（以弗所书3章18节）。

天父，感谢祢深爱我，藉基督饶恕我，使我成为祢的儿女。正因如此，我不需要虚假，让人觉得我很完美。