We ‘like’ things on FB and make cute comments as long as it does NOT describe us, convict us or expose us for wrong doing, wrong thinking OR wrong being! But when the truth is shared openly and we KNOW it pierces our heart with conviction, we are silent as a church mouse. I pray that we are silent because we quickly find ourselves a place of repentance before God….? But, I must say I am grieved that many times this is not the case! I am not trying to stroke my own ego to get ‘likes’ to make me feel better, but pleading for people to BE real. We are brave enough and quick enough to speak up and comment on things we don’t like and when we see general injustice, but are totally opposite when it’s US doing the injustice!

This is the one downfall of FB, emails and texting. We can hide ourselves behind a façade of our FB profile or screen name on the internet. It seems to justify and encourage us NOT TO BE REAL and HONEST with one another. It makes us feel ‘safer’, safer from what? We like to think sharing our opinion without confronting people face-to-face is nicer and makes us more honest, but it actually disguises our fear of dealing with conflict. We fear openly confronting sin! It’s even being played out in our churches when ministers say, “We don’t want to embarrass anyone.”, not calling people up front. It gives people more reason to justify NOT being real and honest.

Why are we fearful to honestly confess our sin even in public? Are we ashamed to admit and confess that we have sinned? This is CLEAR evidence that we lack the humility and meekness to BE REAL! Too many are NOT REAL in the Body of Christ, in the ‘local body’, even in our families and marriages.

NO, no one ‘likes’ to be humiliated and/or called out! But when we are real enough to express repentance and to humbly ask for forgiveness from the ones we have offended or from those that were witnesses to it, it sets the example of being REAL!

It comes right down to our eternal relationship with God, more-so where we will spend eternity…! We are not promised one more second of life on this earth! Why do we fear “other people’s opinion”? We must REALIZE, their opinion truly doesn’t matters in the face of eternity! The closer to ‘the Coming of the Lord’, I would like to think that those who claim the name of Christ would cast aside those fears and WELCOME the truth of God that brings conviction, that challenges them to change and become more like Christ. This is where we SHOULD embrace the work of the Holy Spirit which draws us to the Father and makes us who we were created to be! May we begin to cherish the truth and not despise the messenger that brings it! It’s far too easy to blame the messenger rather than admit God is speaking to us through them. Let’s not be angry or frustrated because ‘we’ didn’t have that revelation ‘first’, OR that ‘we’ didn’t realize it on our own. Let’s again embrace the ‘beauty of humility’! Let’s live without the fear of others opinion and begin to reverently FEAR God’s opinion of us instead!

Let’s actually be thankful and enjoy the fact that God is merciful enough to make us aware of the truth about our sin and error even when we didn’t see it and ‘missed the mark’!

For The Harvest,

Love the resounding reminder – can we just admit it? I think so many (myself included) would find contentment in life, leadership and ministry to admit and embrace where we are, where Jesus has placed us and make the decision to thrive there vs. trying to live with an illusion of what doesn’t even exist.

In my real life at least – I work in development in my “work” life so there is no hope there.

I love awkward because life is entirely too short to walk around faking it.

Meaning I won’t always know what to say and sometimes what I say you won’t like, even it is unintentional.

I think there is a balance between spin and encouragement.

You can be positive without being full of highly processed meat with nitrates.

Because in my mess I want to people to know that even if I don’t always live up to their expectations, I am ultimately sincere.

Which is a risky place to be. But that is OK.

I think we often find ourselves trying to create a perceived image of ourselves that deflects from our faults and imperfections.

I think living in the truth of how God views us and admitting that our sins are real and we are working on them creates a healthy atmosphere for growth to happen.

I’m very passionate about this topic. I can’t wait to see what else you’ll write about!