I recently had a chiropractor take some x-rays and evaluate my spine. As you probably can tell from this “headshot,” it was a humbling experience.

I thought I looked a lot better than this…

In our world of Facebook, Instagram, and online profiles, image is everything. You need to constantly put your best foot (and best face) forward, because an online photo never really goes away.

But I decided to buck the trend and take the bold step of showing you what I REALLY look like. It’s pretty startling, isn’t it?

Yet before you get too cocky and condescending, let me remind you that your  x-rays probably wouldn’t look a whole lot better.

X-rays are hard to beautify by Photoshop or airbrushing. And even if I got a face-lift or covered my skin with a thick layer of makeup, the x-ray would still look just the same.

X-rays don’t lie.

Long ago, the Bible described this phenomenon: “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”  (1 Samuel 16:7).

I guess you could say God has x-ray vision.

So why did I decide to show you this picture of what I look like underneath my well-groomed outer appearance? The next time you see me in person, I wanted to be sure you’d be pleasantly surprised at what you see. I really do look better than my x-rays, after all.

But I also wanted to use this simple lesson to encourage you to enter into God’s x-ray chamber today. Instead of spending so much energy trying to impress people, spend some time in His presence, and let Him show you the real you.

People may love how you look on the surface, but it’s good to know that the Lord loves even your ugly x-rays and the hidden places of your heart.