Ice bags

My friend shared with me this anecdote about her 80-year-old mother, who always wore, indoors or outdoors, oversized sunglasses.  

“Why do you keep wearing those? Don’t they feel uncomfortable?” she asked her mom. 

“The most uncomfortable things in the world,” her mom replied, joking. “But I keep them on to cover my ice bags.” 

They both laughed at her pun. 

Like wrinkles and crow’s feet, bags under the eyes appear as people age. Over the years, the tissues around our eyes, including some of the muscles supporting our eyelids, weaken. According to doctors, the normal fat that helps support the eyes move into the lower eyelids, causing the lids to appear puffy.  Hence, “ice bags.” 

Trying to maintain a façade of perfection to still be perceived as looking-forever-young does not encourage others to be transparent with their lives. It’s like seeing images of people—on social media—looking better or younger than they actually do in person. 

This kind of “hiding” parallels our spiritual journey, where the only things we show the world are the best of us. This cannot help build up fellow travelers. But sharing our imperfect lives, and when we are a bit more transparent about our failings, we may find people who are struggling in similar ways.  

As we accept our own inadequacy and strip away any pretense, God is able to use us more fully to help others. Apostle Paul said, “. . . I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT) He is an ideal role model! 

God’s grace does not include a mask that shows the world a perpetually rosy picture. So, Like Paul, we need to be transparent, show the real us, to influence others to trust God with their imperfections, too.