Behind the Scenes

Album: My Paper Heart
Artist: Francesca Battistelli

You may think
I’m just fine
How could anything
Ever be out of line?

I take my time
To set the stage
To make sure everything
Is all in place

Even though I’ve got the lines rehearsed
A picture only paints a thousand words

Things aren’t always what they seem
You’re only seeing part of me
There’s more than you could ever know
Behind the scenes
I’m incomplete and I’m undone
But I suppose like everyone
There’s so much more that’s going on
Behind the scenes

Sometimes I can’t see
Anything
Through the dark
Surrounding me
And at times I’m unsure
About the ground
Beneath my feet
If it’s safe and sound

When it’s hard to find hope in the unseen
I have peace in knowing it will find me

Things aren’t always what they seem
You’re only seeing part of me
There’s more than you could ever know
Behind the scenes
I’m incomplete and I’m undone
But I suppose like everyone
There’s so much more that’s going on
Behind the scenes

How many people know the real you?  Know the thoughts that run through your head when a situation is out of your control?

How often do you lie and respond with a “fine” when someone asks, ” How are you are doing?”.  Why is it that we have been taught not to bother other people with the details of our lives.  Why do we so desperately cover what is going on behind the scenes?

I have a few theories on this.  Is it:

1. because we feel we are in competition with each other.  If I admit that things aren’t perfect on my home front, someone might get a “one-up” on me.
2. because we so desperately want people to like us and if we aren’t “perfect” they may not want to be our friend.
3. because we put too high a value on things that don’t really matter.  Media tells us that possessions, perfect health, style, and following the crowd are where it’s at.
4. because we don’t really believe that God can use flawed people.  The Bible is filled with lessons of people who were less than perfect.  These people were vessels used by a perfect God to make an end that only God could see.
5. because we fool ourselves into thinking that we are the only ones with things “out of line”.  Everyone else it going around faking it just as much as we are.

Don’t you so desperately want to know the true heart of your friends.  I wonder how much more we would be able to minister to each other if we would just drop our guards and show others the wide open, laid bare truth.  I want to be genuine and casual with people and invest in relationships.  As things change in my own life, I see the importance of–no–need for true, heart-felt relationships in my life.  I know those out there closest to me also have this need.

Let’s close the curtain and come down off the stage.  There is so much less pressure behind the scenes and out of the spot light.