It's So Simple...In Theory.

There's only one thing we, as followers of Jesus, need to do.  Well, it kinda shows up as "do" and "be".
It was the posture of our hearts and lives when we initially said, "Yes" to Jesus.
It's the key to growth towards spiritual maturity, developing trust in God as Good, and radiating Christ to those in our spheres of influence.

Beloved, we need to be broken, and when life seems to be going well, we need to remember those times we were broken.   We need to be authentic and show that we taste the bitter realities of life.  We hurt, we hate, we grieve, we fear.  Not that we're supposed to stay there and wallow in self-pity.   Some of those things require repentance.  But there's a world out there that is watching us, waiting to see if there's a crack in our sometimes fake Sabbath smiles.

Am I willing to be vulnerable?  To stand and say, "I'm hurting"?  Willing to show my weak side, my struggles?  Why is it that when we become Christians and begin hanging with the rest of the Church,  we suddenly think life should be hunky dorey (or have the appearance of hunky dorey-ness) and we need to put a smile on?  Of course we can live with the unexplainable joy and peace that comes from having a relationship with the God of the Universe.  But when things are tough, why do we sometimes feel that we need to fake it?

It's a vicious cycle.  When we refuse to be authentic, we're subconsciously teaching those around us that they too, need to hold it together (or look like they're holding it together).  And then the church as a whole tends to look cold and unfeeling to those on the outside (and the inside too!).

The flip-side is if we're willing and eager even, to be real, it allows others to follow suit.  Plus, when we acknowledge the times we've faced pain and sin, and our only way out was to call out in our agony for God to help us, we're more apt to keep our eyes open to those around us, caught in similar troubles.   We need to catch those around us, fainting from the weighty pain of their struggles.  I've said it before, authenticity breeds authenticity.  Do hurting people feel safe with us?  Jesus doesn't want people in the church who have it all together.  He said He came for the broken, defeated, hurting.  He wants people around Him who are so low, so NOT full of pride, that He can take over their lives.  And when we've tasted Him, that's when the smile comes.  Not cuz our life is perfect, but cuz we know the Creator has our back.  He's our advocate.  He doesn't condemn.  He lifts.  He gives peace.  He gives wisdom.  In the midst of pain.

And our calling is to be more like Him.  Do we, the Church, mirror Jesus to the broken?  Do we have their backs?  Are we their advocates?  Do we, in recognizing where we've been, accept them rather than condemn?  Do we lift?  Do we offer peace?  Do we offer wisdom?  In the midst of their pain?  Do we know when to keep our mouths shut, quit offering answers, and just love them in the ways that they need to be loved?

Is the Body where people run to, to be loved and held and encouraged, when they face...

miscarriage, death, financial struggle, abortion, rape, abuse, fear, divorce, marriage struggles, questions about God and faith, health problems, loneliness, gossip, old age, insecurities, incarceration, adolescence, infertility, fear...

If not, we'd better start repenting.  And start being vulnerable ourselves.  For God's glory.