Me and My ‘Slim T’
My boys have been into watching the NBA summer league on NBA TV. Not much excitement there, but what has been exciting are the commercials. Apparently, advertising is much cheaper on NBA TV than most of the big networks. I base this theory on the quality of the commercials and the quantity of infomercials prompting me to buy something.
Last night, this commercial came on, and I couldn’t help but laugh (after I wrote down the 1-800 number!)
The Slim T promises to make you look thinner, without dieting; without exercising; you can have a slimmer, more fit looking body, without putting in all that hard (overrated) work. You can have the appearance of being thin, but not be thin. And best of all, no one will know you are wearing it, but you.
As wack as this commercial is, it made me think about the issues in a lot of marriages.
So often this is what we want in marriage. All of us who are married long for an intimate relationship with our spouse, but we aren’t always willing to pay the price for intimacy. All of us want to communicate better, but don’t make time for conversation. We want to have our needs met, without having to meet the needs of our spouse. We want the appearance of a healthy marriage, without having to work for a healthy marriage.
The truth is that the Slim T only hides my love handles; it doesn’t get rid of them. It only helps me suck in my gut; it doesn’t give me a six-pack. It tries to convince me that somehow appearance trumps health; and comfort is more important than authenticity. It covers up the symptoms of my problem, without getting to the root of my problem.
This has been true in my marriage more than I care to admit. I’ve often traded the commitment to a healthy marriage for the mere appearance of a healthy marriage.
Sadly, this has been true in my relationship with God too. Too often I’ve put a Slim T over my relationship with God, hoping that I could somehow appear more spiritual than I really am. I convince myself that I can have all the benefits of an intimate relationship with God, without the investment.
The reality is that at some point the Slim T has to come off…and the real you, the real marriage, the real relationship with God will be standing in front of the mirror.
Oh gosh, on my way to work but wanted to say briefly thanks for the laugh followed as usual with the sucker-punch to the gut.
Not that I have a gut or anything…there's a Slim T for women too
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So sorry to sucker punch you
Excellent post, bro! I've actually had a draft of a new post for awhile along similar lines, and also talking about our culture's obsession with and idolatry of image.
Whether it's Body Magic, Spanxx or this new Slim T, people will spend all kinds of money to project wholeness and an image that appears to be healthier, more acceptable and valued (to our culture), instead of getting their A in the gym, working hard and developing disciplined eating habits (being careful what they take in) to actually BE what they're trying to PORTRAY.
We are pacified to hide behind projections, but never truly satisfied because when we get home and take off the Slim T, we are once again faced with who we really are. You might have fooled everybody outside your house, but our idolatry of image (physically and spiritually) is keeping us from real healing and redemption. Ok, I'm going to finish that blog now.
My recent post Belief- Emersion & Stretchy Pants
I've broken in to your account and read your drafts…that is where i get my inspiration.
I was going to say that why post it on your blog when you just posted it here
On a serious note…you are so right and I love your insight on this!
Sounds like they're trying to sell a "magic pill". How often we search for those shortcuts instead of just doing the work.
My recent post Can God Take Your Life
So true!
Can you imagine how much you are going to sweat in that thing?
I wonder if they come in DryFit?
ouch.
All of the above? Just read this after reading Tracee P's post on the Easy-Peasy Jesus… hmmm… thinking I may need to work on some stuff today…
My recent post Man Week @ The Rain
Will have to check out Tracee's post later today!
I honestly thought the "slim T" could stay on forever…then the fat of sin ripped it to pieces.
oh yeah, almost forgot, what was that 800 number?
Having all your fat squeezed and held inward isn't REALLY all that comfortable. Stuffing the reality of an unhealthy marriage or spiritual life isn't either.
Wow…so true!
The fact that someone can create, market, and sell something like that is just one more proof of Trisha's brilliant statement that we don't "drift toward the good." We don't drift toward the gym or the produce/whole foods aisle. And we definitely don't drift toward transparency and realness. But, thankfully, the Slim T assures us that we don't have to!
This is such an excellent post!! The commercial is hilarious–Spanxx for guys!
I struggle with portraying "everything is great" in my life. I've spent a very long time behind a masking smile that you would never know how insecure I actually am. Or how hurt and alone I've felt. One of the greatest things I've learned since starting at CP is that I don't have to hide. So I've been doing my best to put it all out there and stomach my fears. Having Christ in my life now has really helped in that. There is a strength there that I've never known until now. It's a little scary to rely on that, rather than my Slim T…but in the long run, definitely healthier.
My recent post Filling My Bucket…
If you learn nothing else from CP…I'm so glad you've learned that that you don't have to hide.
ditto morgan…a spanx for men! hilarious!
funny how we can be so caught up in making the external look good to try and fool others and ourselves.
it is funny how we think we can fool ourselves.
Esse quam videri.
For many years I wore a "Slim T" to cover hurt, anger, disappointment, resentment, and various other feelings from being severely abused as a child and then later in life a failing marriage. I portrayed that everything with me and my marriage were great, but that T started to tear when my wife asked for a divorce and when I recommitted my life to Christ He took that "Slim T" away and replaced it with His armor.
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As usual, I read this feeling like you're speaking directly to me. Thanks for the continued encouragement to do the hard work for great gains. Though to be honest, I consistently prefer the Slim T, and it's kind of like Chinese Finger Torture – easy to put on, hard to take off (I suppose spiritual bondage is a better term). I'm starting to see a counselor to help take this blasted thing off; it's killing my marriage.