The saying “character is who you are when nobody is looking” is true. If we want and claim to be people of personal integrity, truth, honor, and righteousness, then who we are when we aren’t puffed-up and trying to impress people is the truest reflection of ourselves.

Integrity is sorely lacking among the puffed-up today. Politicians, multi-million dollar athletes, celebrities, church leaders, news personalities, local community leaders…the list is endless, and the hypocrisy great. Maybe it’s part of our human makeup. We would cringe for others to see who we are for real, so we create great facades of perfection and hide behind them.

Facebook and Instagram are wonderful vehicles for puffed-uppedness. Just scroll through everyone’s pretty, perfect pictures and you can come away with a notion that your life STINKS compared to the exotic vacations, gorgeous spouses, well-mannered children, and obedient pets that your friends post. It’s depressing…and fake.

If we showed our true colors, a lot of chaos, messiness, mistakes, Pinterest fails, love handles, and flapping thighs would dominate our feeds. Think I’m exaggerating? When is the last time you took a selfie holding your phone at waist level? NOPE, we all know to hold it as high as we can and look up with our cheesy grins, knowing we have made our double chins and saggy jawlines magically disappear.

Do you know what God says about all this?

“WHATEVER.”

Philippians 4:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Whatever is true.

Whatever is noble.

Whatever is right.

Whatever is pure.

Whatever is lovely.

Whatever is admirable.

In a world of inauthentic people, of puffed-up show-offs, of plastic facades, and fake smiles…be a whatever. Show your true colors. Be authentic. And if you’ve got parts of your soul that need fixing, fix them. Take that selfie from the waist level and let your crows feet show your joy!

When we choose true, noble and right over what just looks good, we honor God and make ourselves approachable to the other whatevers around us. And that’s how we win the world.

True Colors at the End of Our Street by Gail Driver