Who would hug a rose bush?

So the question of the day is: Who would hug a rose bush? They're beautiful from afar and they produce such awesome flowers that smell good and light up a room, however they are full of thorns that are extremely painful and are not easy to get around.  I feel like this question is equivalent to asking someone if they'd want to hug a cactus. No one in their right mind would. So what's the difference between a rose bush and a cactus? At least with a cactus you know what you're getting. You go into that situation knowing its going to be painful. A cactus doesn't disguise its thorns with wonderful flowers and green leaves. That sucker lets you know that if you get too close you're going to feel pain. A rose bush, however; cleverly disguises its thorns with flowers, leaves, and wonderful scents that draw the outsider in. Not only until your too close for comfort do you discover that there are painful thorns under all of that beauty.

Last night while at a bible study, a woman told us that God told her that she was infected with thorns. That He, nor anyone else could get close to her because she had all of her defenses up or as he described them-thorns. She had become so infected over the years that intimacy with her was impossible.

This visual had me start thinking: how often in life do we live as rose bushes? We come off as this wonderful person who has it all together with so many wonderful attributes. We're social, we're happy and go lucky, we speak as if we know everything. Even more so, in the christian realm we act as if we're the "perfect Christian". We live our lives by the book and every question is answered with a reference to scripture. We're involved in our churches, our friends are all Christians, we attend church on a regular if not religious basis, and if anyone asks you how we're doing the answered is "blessed".  Don't get me wrong, that's all fine and dandy but the real question is this, "How well do you know God and how well are you known by Him?"  So often I have found people, and I'm including myself in this group, that have it all together on the outside and people put them on a throne, but underneath it all is a a person full of thorns. They have their defenses up and it's not until you get too close for comfort do you see their flaws and the very thing that they cling to. For some those thorns are  insecurities and low self esteem, for others they're a past that daily haunts them, and for some they're the doubts and fears that they will never be enough for God and that God is so far away that there is no possible way that He could love them in a deep and personal way. 

For me, I'd much rather be surrounded by people that live their lives as cacti. They are upfront and honest about their failures, flaws,and fears. It takes a lot less effort to be around them because you know exactly where they're at. You can speak directly into their lives with truth and love because what they're telling you is honest and real so therefore you can be real with them. They know where they're at and so do you. This world needs more cacti. They need real Christians who are honest and upfront about where they're at in their lives, not Christians who portray the role of a "holier than thou" person who's only spot is in the limelight. They're sick of being surrounded by Christians who show off their roses but once they get to know that person they get hurt and run from the very thing they need-Jesus.

My challenge for today is that you would start to question whether you are a rosebush or a cactus. If you find that you're more like a rosebush, ask God to start the process of removing the things and areas in your life that prevent you from being real. And if you're more like a cactus then congratulations, but it doesn't mean you get to end there. Pray that God will help remove the thorns in your side as well so that you can have a more intimate relationship with Christ as well as those around you.

Blessings,