A Transparent Life

“Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable.  Be honest and transparent anyway.”  Mother Teresa

When I decided to start writing devotionals, it occurred to me that I would need to be transparent for anyone to really see who I really am and how God affects my life.  The problem with transparency is that you will sometimes look silly, sound dumb and often make a fool of yourself.   

There is fear that comes with being transparent with others.  There is the fear of others laughing at you or making fun of or even ridiculing you.  The very things that Jesus suffered for will become a reality when you become transparent.  We are all warned that we will be persecuted if we follow Him.  That’s not such a great recommendation for leading the Christian life. 

There are several things I have learned through being transparent in my faults and sharing them with others.  The first thing I learned is that I have to become vulnerable to really understand some of the sufferings of Christ and in that vulnerability, it becomes easier for me to relate to another person’s suffering.  Second, it means that you will know much more about me than I will about you.  The odd thing about this is that when I meet you for the first time, you may say something to me about something I have written about my past and I may look at you and think, “how does this person know that about me.” 

Leading a transparent life means that other people will see you as God sees you.  I know I have often thought in the past that if no one can see what I am doing then they won’t be able to determine the sin in my life.  Why do we think we can hide the sin in our lives?  It is like hiding behind a skinny tree. God can see you no matter what you hide behind.

 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, please help me to always be transparent in my life.  I want to reflect Your glory but I can’t do that if I am hiding behind sin and covering it up.  Being transparent means I will be vulnerable to others and it opens the door to ridicule. When I turn to You it makes me stronger. I praise You for lifting me up.  

Scripture: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:5-7