It turns out image was everything for Andre Agassi. The tennis great revealed in his autobiography, Open, that he hated tennis for much of his life, considered a loss in a French Open final a win because his faux hair piece didn’t fall off during the match, and lied about the reasons for a failed drug test because he was embarrassed by his crystal meth use.
In his prime, Agassi was the main spokesperson for Canon and the iconic line he repeated in commercial after commercial was, “Image is everything.” From revelations in his book, we now know that was more than a slogan he mouthed in exchange for a multi- million-dollar endorsement. It was his modus operandi for life. He projected a love for tennis while passionately hating the game. His famous locks were beginning to fall out by age 20, so he got a hair weave in order not to disappoint his fans. While appearing very much in control of his life, he was actually going down a dark path in which he turned to a recreational drug in order to cope.
Like so many, Agassi carried his burden alone. Few knew of his internal struggles and none sought to help him. For much of his life, he maintained an image of a reality that didn’t actually exist. And he fooled everyone.
Agassi is really no different than many of us. We seek to maintain an image of what we think people will like or need to see, while the reality for us is very different. I recall a student whose father was a pastor. Early in his collegiate career, he was involved in our campus ministry. As time went on, he began to party, but still was somewhat involved. Then he pretty much dropped out altogether. After graduating, he told friends he was done with Christianity and that his spiritual commitment had been an act because his dad was a pastor. Keeping up the image finally became too much for him.
We fall into the trap of maintaining an image because we fear what people will think if they know the truth about us—that we’re depressed, that were struggling with some sin, that we are experiencing something that is causing us to doubt God. Thus, we pile another burden, maintaining our image, on top of our existing burden.
The burden of maintaining an image that does not fit the reality of our lives is a heavy burden indeed and grows heavier the longer we seek to maintain it; thus, there is much wisdom in Paul’s words to the believers in Galatia. We are not meant to carry our burdens by ourselves. We need others to help us. Yet, in order for others to help us, we must let them know we have a need for help.
Today, if you are carrying a heavy burden, don’t pretend that everything is okay. Don’t maintain an image that doesn’t match reality. It will only make your burden heavier. Instead allow others to help you. The only image you need to maintain is one that is real.
© Jim Musser 2014
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