Filters

Filters. They’re everywhere. In our social media-driven culture, they’ve become a standard. For the uninitiated, filters are those features on apps that can transform a photo in seconds, brightening your smile and smoothing your skin to adding lashes you never had.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to shame anybody. I’ve used them too. Sometimes a little extra light is just what a photo needs. But what got me thinking (and writing) is how filters have moved beyond the screen. They’ve crept into our real lives. Offline, we’ve begun “filtering” and altering parts of ourselves to get more approval, more attention, more “likes.”

Here’s the truth: every one of us has something we’re working through. A weakness or a habit we’d rather break. A part of our story that doesn’t feel so pretty. But those unpolished parts don’t make us less than; they make us human. And still, Ephesians 2:10 declares we are God’s masterpiece. Imagine what would shift if we truly lived as though we believed that we’re already art, already beautiful, already crafted with intention by the Creator of the universe. Would we really need filters?

The creators of filters probably just wanted to give people a fun tool. And sure, for some, that’s all it is…fun. But for many, it’s become a way of life. We’ve learned that the filtered version of ourselves gets more attention, so we keep leading with that. And honestly? I’ve been there too. I can’t tell you when I picked up the habit of people-pleasing, but at some point, I realized I was living a filtered life for likes. Saying things that weren’t really me. Agreeing when I should’ve spoken up. Smiling when I wanted to cry. All for approval.

But then I was reminded of Paul’s words in Galatians 1:10: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? … If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” That verse hit me like a mirror check. My mission isn’t to perfect my filters; it’s to please God.

So I’ve started practicing life unfiltered. Working on the things I can change and developing the areas where I can grow. And most importantly, learning to celebrate the quirks that are simply God’s fingerprints.

Maybe it’s time we all ask: are my filters fun, or are they keeping me from living authentically as God’s masterpiece?

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