You never know what someone is going through behind closed doors.
Not only have we all heard a saying like this but most of us also have experienced our fair share of behind-closed-doors struggles.
Yet, it surprises me how quickly we can forget the reality behind this statement. And I say “we” because I’m also guilty of this.
You know that harmless joke about someone’s hair.
Or that small critique of their smile.
And that not-so-subtle judgement of their actions.
Each of us has had experiences with imperfections, and internal battles, and difficult circumstances, yet somehow it’s so easy to forget that other people do as well.
I was recently reminded of this as my husband and I watched Voices of Fire, a new Netflix docuseries about the formation of a multicultural choir.
Source: The Cinemaholic.
One contestant named Marcus looked like a “normal” guy. But it wasn’t until he shared his testimony that you quickly realized the issue with our society’s definition of normalcy.
He explained that when he was a teenager, he got drunk at a party, slipped in the bathroom, and hit his neck on the tub. The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down and doctors said he’d never walk again. But by the grace of God, he had walked into that audition room!
But you could see evidence of Marcus’s “closed door.” The paralysis had severely affected his hands, leaving them deformed and his fingers unable to fully function. Marcus said he was self-conscious about his hands, knowing people looked at them in confusion.
Source: The Cinemaholic.
Another contestant, Elana, was a 15-year-old young woman born with only one ear. You would never know that this talented teen only had 50 percent of her hearing as you watched her sing.
The series debuted contestant after contestant who each had their behind-closed-doors struggles. And I appreciate that this documentary made a point to highlight the singers’ testimonies because they are a much needed reminder that we all have one.
As we prepare to feast and gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving and enter the holiday season, my prayer is that each of us would consider giving others one of the most important and necessary gifts, one that we should all be thankful for:
Grace.
Grace for the cashier who is moving slower than you have the patience or time for.
Grace for the coworker who can’t seem to keep up with the project.
Grace for that driver who cuts you off in traffic (Lord, help us with this one).
Grace for the family member or friend who is unable listen when you need it most.
We all need it, and thank God that we have all received it through Jesus Christ.
2020 has been a difficult year, and it’s all the more reason to be thankful that Christ continually offers us grace so that we can be empowered to gift it to others.
I know that it being a familiar phrase can sometimes cause us to take its meaning for granted, but this is such an essential truth: You never know what someone is going through behind closed doors.
Who knew that our beloved King T’Challa, Chadwick Boseman, was fighting cancer when instead of grace, people offered him jokes and criticism of his weight loss?
Or that the real OG Aunt Viv, Janet Hubert, was struggling in an abusive marriage when she was labeled “difficult” while working on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air? (Shout out to the reunion special and her and Will Smith’s healing!)
And who knows the unseen battles our neighbor, coworker, or loved one may be enduring?
These types of proverbs and quotes are nice to post on social media or hang as décor in our homes, but let’s try to do more this holiday season.
Let’s live these words and allow them to guide us.
Being thankful to receive the gift of grace and offer it in return.
—
Main photo source: Screenrant.com