I heard a pastor share something profound. He related a story about the time he was little and he and his mother visited a photoshoot inside a home that Southern Living would feature in the magazine. For this photoshoot, the designer spread out the most beautiful kitchen table featuring a delicious meal. Everything looked so scrumptious to this little boy. He waited patiently and then finally exclaimed, “When do we get to eat!”
The designer said, “Oh, this food is for admiring; it’s not for eating. Nobody will eat this food.” In essence, it might have been prop food, or food that would spoil under the bright lights in a photoshoot.
The pastor said that our life can be like that—especially based on the way we present ourselves on social media. We offer a version of ourselves to admire, but we nourish no one. Nothing we offer nourishes others. I loved listening to his example of how the beautiful table nourished nobody. It made me think about whether I’m motivated by being admired, or if I’m motivated by offering a life that feeds the souls of others.