Thursday February 3, 2011
Theme: Rethink: Authenticity
Weekend Music links on iTunes: No Not One - Brandon Heath, All Because of Jesus - Fee, You'll Come - Hillsong, How He Loves - John Mark McMillan
Read: Hebrews 11:6
Think: Relationships and intimacy require trust. Many of us need to learn to trust. Specifically, we need to learn to trust God and place our faith in Him, even if it doesn’t look like the rewards will be arriving as soon as we would like to see them.
Pastor Ben made some great points about the importance of trust. First off, there’s no real connection, no real community, without trust as the basis. The other point (discussed more in the book Truefaced) is that we live in a society where people are transparent, but they’re not vulnerable.
Transparency looks like this: “Hey, I’m angry! Yeah, I know I’ve got an anger problem. But, so what? Deal with it! It’s just the way I am!”
Vulnerability is where we are brave enough to say “I don’t want my kids to be afraid of me, and to remember that about me. I don’t want people to go the other way when they see me. I don’t want to be that person anymore. Will you help me?”
I remember my Dad, who unfortunately, I often feared as a kid. He was a fierce disciplinarian whose temper guided many a correction of me and my siblings. After we were grown, we realized that he could have handled things differently. He could have had more fun with us and relaxed and enjoyed himself and us more. As I raise my own kids, I try to be ever more mindful of this life lesson that my Dad learned too late to be able to apply it. Instead of saying “because I said so” when I am asked why, I’ve tried to give a patient, thoughtful answer. I’ve admitted I need to read books like Parenting With Love and Logic, and trust that they will help me learn to apply a different way of parenting with my kids then I knew growing up. But most importantly, I am trying to trust God to help me tame my own temper and critical nature, which can push those near me away at times. I am asking him to help me to teach my children the lessons they need, but that I cannot impart to them by being harsh.
Do: Take a moment to ask yourself these questions: In what ways am I being transparent with others (or not)? In what ways am I being vulnerable with others (or not)? If you’re struggling with anger or another problem that is pushing others away from you, ask God to help you find a new way of communicating that will build trust.
Pray: God, help me to trust you enough to be both transparent and vulnerable in my dealings with others, to trust that you will help change me and free me to become the person you created me to become. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.