It's no new gist that I enjoy being in front of the camera. My pictures are everywhere on this blog. Got to ask myself one day "Why do I love the camera this much?". Shocked to find out God had an issue with that.
Camera Obsession
Sometimes I wonder what Jesus would have done if he lived in this age of digital cameras and camera phones. Would he have posted pictures of himself hanging out by the water's edge, having a few glasses of wine at the wedding at Cana, or standing next to that tree with the caption "Last weekend was lit!"?
Somehow I like to imagine Jesus holding a camera, because I want to take a selfie with him in heaven. A-ha!
We are creative. We are made after a creative God. Sometimes our pictures incorporate a level of art that is truly remarkable. I be like "wow! This is so beautiful!"
God likes His creation. He saw you and said, "This is so good!". He likes to showcase His creation. And so taking pictures of ourselves is showcasing the beauty of His creation.
I like it. I mean, I love it!
Admittedly, I go over board with it a lot. I know. I know.
Sometimes these pictures can be humorous. Sometimes they can be inspiring. Sometimes they can be pathetic. Sometimes they can be therapeutic. Sometimes you don't even know what to think. Sometimes they make no sense.
One day . . .
Me: *admiring a picture of myself*
*zooms the picture* *zooms the picture again* *smiles*
*zooms the picture* *zooms the picture again* *smiles*
Me: I really love this picture. *smiles*
Me: *eyes on the picture* *blushing*
Me: *selects picture to upload on social media*
Voice: What are you going to do with it now?
Me: Post it.
Voice: That's it?
Me: Yep. And erm . . . maybe tell a story around it.
Voice: That's it?
Me: Yep. And erm . . . maybe tell a story around it.
Voice: Oh, nice. Who is the main character in this story?
Me: *without thinking* Me!
I don't want to go into details because the dialogue went deep into revealing my distorted sense of self. I realized how vain I was becoming in my imagination.
I am reminded to re-examine the purpose of these selfies.
There was a slow heart-washing throwback moment to when I lost my memory card and how I cried over my pictures. And how I vowed to "save" all my pictures on social media - my blog especially. Every picture I took had to be posted.
I literally took pictures (capture moments and looks) everyday. It became an obsession. An addiction. A ritual.
I am reminded to re-examine the purpose of these selfies.
There was a slow heart-washing throwback moment to when I lost my memory card and how I cried over my pictures. And how I vowed to "save" all my pictures on social media - my blog especially. Every picture I took had to be posted.
I literally took pictures (capture moments and looks) everyday. It became an obsession. An addiction. A ritual.
The dialogue had me crying and pleading to God for mercy and grace.
After a while . . .
Voice: It is only a good thing when you show the world how beautiful you can become when you are in Christ. It is even more amazing when it is a supernatural memory of what you have experienced in Christ.
Me: *face swollen*
Voice: What would Jesus do?
Me: I dunno. *pouts* Jesus never took a selfie. Or, wai . . .ttt! Would Jesus take selfies?
Voice: Jesus would have had an inbuilt camera. That camera with a special kind of memory and lens that’s even more amazing - and much more important.
Me: *shocked* really??
Voice: And he promised to give it to you too. In fact, you have it.
Voice: And he promised to give it to you too. In fact, you have it.
Voice: Before Jesus left the earth, He promised He would send the Holy Spirit to help you with a supernatural memory of what you have experienced: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit . . . will . . . bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26)
Related Post: An Old Poem On Loving Pictures
The best caption has to do with the story of your life being written by God through the lens of the Holy Spirit.
So from then on, I decided . . .
I take selfies to appreciate God's creation. The art. The beauty. The awesomeness of ME.
I take selfies to keep a memory of God's glorious changes in my life.
I take selfies to embrace my scars and flaunt my imperfections with pride.
I take selfies to show the world how beautiful we become when we are in Christ.
I take selfies because of God.
* * *
* * *
Let's discuss: What is your obsession? How do you stop yourself from becoming addicted to a good thing?
Written by Nwamaka Ajaegbu
Let's connect on Twitter: @Amakamedia
Let's connect on Instagram: @amakamedia
Do Email: amakamedia@yahoo.com
And Bloglovin: Amakamedia
Heart Rays . . . giving light.
