RAW vs. JPG (it’s not just for photographers)

If you’ve read my “About” section on this blog, you know that something I strive for in life is authentic connection.  The older I get, the more I realize how important this is.  Why do I/we waste so much time on things that don’t matter?  When I meet with someone, I want that time to count.  When I begin a new endeavor, I want it to count.  I don’t want to live life as a string of  “time fillers.”

I watched a webinar with Jesh de Rox last night.  He is a very inspiring artist.  He also shared about authentic connection.  I have had this longing for many years now and he verbalized the same need and desire.  He has much to say right now about genuine relationships.  More on that in another post.   (As a side note, take a minute to check out the intro to his website.  It is really fun to answer a few questions of his…it takes you to another place).

So onto my main point.  Let me begin with an interaction I had with my husband, Alan, a while back.

A few months ago Alan and I were  at a retreat center where we lead retreats for Christian leaders.  We were taking a walk and processing some of our own inner workings.   In the midst of our conversation, Alan proclaimed, “I don’t like feeling raw.”  For some reason, the word “raw” pinball-machined through my brain and I thought of RAW images in photography.  So  I responded to Alan, “You know, in photography RAW is a good thing.  A RAW file leaves an image completely open for adjustment whereas JPG files are processed in the camera, resulting in less leeway when editing.  RAW is better if you really want to be able to affect the most change in an image.”  I suggested that his raw state left him more open to what God was doing in him and through him.  I’m not sure if my eloquent exegesis of “RAW vs. JPG” helped Alan in that moment, but it did send me off into a new way of thinking.

As I pondered this insight further, I realized that this is a great metaphor for how to live life.  In my search for authentic connection, I want to keep myself completely open to God and what He has for me.  I want Him to be able to make as many “adjustments” as possible without any hindrance from ways I may have “edited” myself.

If you are following me so far, you might see that there are questions that emerge from RAW vs. JPG:

How do I keep myself open?
Are there any practices that can help me be more open to God?
What are some ways that I “edit” myself so that I am not as open and responsive to God’s movement?
Do I allow others to “edit” me so that I become less that who I truly am?

I would love to hear your comments on this.  I love starting conversations.  I hope that future blog entries will continue this conversation and provide encouragement to you as you seek to live in “RAW” mode.