Traffic was a bummer, but I needed the long drive. Time to get quiet in the car, get my heart right after a crazy-busy morning. The worship music helped settle my spirit. By the time I arrived at work, I climbed out of the vehicle happy and grateful for a new day.
Fast forward ten minutes.
My Iron Man suit starts rising at the first sign of aggravation. Smiling on the outside, ever the professional. Shutting down, closing off inside. Safer to detach.
Suit up.
This is not church on Sunday. This is work on Tuesday, hectic travel on Wednesday, and the person who dropped the door on me Thursday.
My spirit quickly reminds me I’m on this side of heaven. Trouble is a given. It’s unhealthy to react to every frustrating moment. Even the internal, unseen reaction upsets the physical body. Unzip the invisible suit. Relax. Share. Everyone has their stuff. Including the really difficult person in front of me.
Putting aside my selfish preoccupations, I approach her gently, questioning how things are going. Turns out, she had a far worse week than I did, her miserable demeanor not how she wants to be viewed at the office.
The last thing she needs is the suited-up version of yet another person. Covered. Pretending to have it all together. She needs honest sharing, assurance that this too shall pass, and a stern reminder that no matter how perfect she believes everyone else appears…on their Facebook and Instagram pages…they are not.
She is convinced most of “them” are…perfect that is. Surely, “they” don’t have marriage and kid concerns at the depths she does. No way do “they” have money problems. I mean, do you see those outfits “that lady” wears every week? “Everyone has it better.”
Her overall exhaustion tells me she can’t even think straight.
We discuss how everything is magnified while sleep-deprived, and while in the throes of life with young children. As we wrap up our brief discussion, I’m awed by how often we convince ourselves of falsehoods. Social media and a bombardment of advertising contribute, but we have wild imaginations all on our own.
By the time she leaves my office, I’m humbly reminded that my tendency to put on the invisible Iron Man suit is unhelpful. I was one of many she viewed as “having it all together”; certainly living a “perfect life”. By remaining open, honest and real about what is good and what is challenging, I’m serving, not further perpetuating distortion.
Somewhere along the way, I equated the full armor of God with a fictitious Iron Man suit. While we should be prepared each day with the belt of truth, shield of faith, breastplate of righteousness, etc., spiritual defense does not equal disguise.
Homepage featured image: Britannica.com
Happy Monday and I wish you a peaceful week ahead!
Tales from a Mid-Lifer 
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