Best Picture... Ever!

There are a lot of crazy things out on the Internet these days, some of which are designed to make us laugh and simply have fun communicating with one another.  There are the goofy math puzzles where you are supposed to add two monkeys with one bicycle times three pitchers to see what answer you get.  I can't even count how many posts are sent that you are supposed to like and send on otherwise your identity as a Christian is suspect.  And then, we have the inevitable "do you remember..." sites that show a gadget from years past that if you know it, dates you from the younger crowd who is using Facebook as a connective tissue between them and the world as they know it.

All designed for fun and enjoyment.  But there is one thing I've seen on Facebook which is dangerous and that is the site where you can link to and take one of your pictures and with one click, the site will make your picture look like a movie star.  If you don't believe it, then check out the images to the right.  I went to this site only to prove my point (which I really don't know what that point is yet).  I downloaded the top picture and within a few moments the bottom picture was shown.  I was supposed to then share it with all of my Facebook friends as a way of saying "Look at me - with some kind of extreme makeover, this is what I could look like!"

Really?  That was not going to happen.

Here's why this is dangerous to me: the picture that was created for me is so unrealistic it's not even funny!  It takes a normal picture (which isn't too terribly bad in its own right) and with a few brush strokes and concealers and highlighters creates a different person.  I don't even know that guy in the bottom frame.  It's dangerous because it paints an unrealistic look that does not value my existing appearance - does that make sense?

I wonder if somewhere, out there, someone wants to know - "Do you want to look like that?  You can, you know, if you just do the right things and have enough money to get it done."  What does that say for my normal, everyday appearance?  It certainly doesn't value it.

The normal picture of me is just fine, thank you very much, with all of my wrinkles and my flaws.  My eyes are not that blue.  My teeth are not that white.  I'm not perfect, like the bottom picture seems to present.  I wouldn't disagree that it might be a nice look, but it isn't me!  The created picture even makes my receding hairline look terrific!  Good grief!

I'm pretty comfortable with who I am and how I look.  Maybe I should be grateful for a site like this because I can look at a created mug shot and still appreciate who I am and how God has put me together.  I am okay with my appearance because it's who I am... with all of my flaws and imperfections.

That's really the best picture ever - how God has made us into the image of the Divine!