Transparency # 4

Thanks for continuing with me on this most important subject of Transparency. The third point on the subject is since all things will definitely and ultimately be transparent, and since scripture encourages us to be transparent, Christians everywhere should feel free to be transparent with God, and with one another. This transparency should be evident without fear and dread of reprisal and retaliation in every Christian community. The fact that retaliation does occur should not hinder one from transparency, for it is a God-given right and God even expects transparency in the Christian community. The one passage that stands out to me is Eph. 4:32. It says "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." In light of this passage no Christian should feel hesitant to be transparent with another Christian.
Example after example is given in Scripture about God's willingness to honor and recognize the transparency of any individual.
Mt. 18:15-17 holds the key to Christians being able to talk one on one and in groups about problems. "...if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone."(Mt. 18:15)
In Lk. 18:9-14 the Pharisee had a different viewpoint of the transparent publican than Jesus. Often this is the case for various reasons. Perhaps the shortcomings of the publican in the opinion of the Pharisee were much more significant because of the Pharisee's heightened idea of his own self-importance and perfection. The publican simply said "...God be merciful to me a sinner."(Lk. 18:13) And for some reason Jesus said of the publican that he was justified and the Pharisee was not. Was it the complete transparency of the publican about himself?
The thief of Lk. 23 was on a cross next to the Savior. The thief said to the other thief "...we receive the due rewards of our deeds..."(Lk. 23:41) And he said simply to Jesus "...remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."(Lk. 23:42) Jesus took that man into paradise with Him that day. Why? The man was bound remember and nailed to a cross. He could not get down from that cross and go and undo or redo his life. He was simply a transparent individual with Jesus. And His reward was paradise. Wouldn't it be great if our transparency with our friends reaped similar attention.
The prodigal of Lk. 15 said to his father "...Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight..."(Lk. 15:21) The Father said "...this my son is alive again; he was lost and is found."(Lk. 15:24)
Indeed all live people are in need of the above kind of transparency. Ro. 3:23 says we are for it says..."for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" I Jn. 1:8 says "...if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." And I Jn. 1:9 alludes to the acceptance of God when we are transparent about our sins. It says..."If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Thank you Jesus.
Yet more on transparency later...

Transparency #3

Some months ago, after having been transparent with Jesus in my youth, and many times through the years as I grew into young manhood, middle manhood and older manhood I dared be transparent with a select few church leaders and friends. My transparency was about a personal dilemma I had endured in my life for years.
I gave up machoism and was completely transparent. And I think the reactions of some of those with whom I was transparent might well be the reason true transparency is such an uncommon commodity among church people today.
A paradox that befuddles me to this day is that among those church leaders I confided in and privileged to work closely with as a fellow church leader, was a man who in church meeting after church meeting said.."Let's be transparent." So I was. What were the results of my honesty with church leaders and some friends? I will eventually give you the outcomes. But first let's establish some absolute and scriptural truths with respect to transparency.
In the first place the Bible teaches that eventually and ultimately everything will be transparent. Transparency will shine through the mist of every attempt to conceal truth.
"...there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light."(Mk. 4:22)
"...there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."(Heb. 4:13)
"Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later."(I Tim. 5:24)
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,...(II Cor. 5:10)
"All the nations will be gathered before Him,..."(Mt. 25:32)
So it is that everything will be transparent.
In the second place, since this is true, God has given each person the right to be open, transparent, and honest about himself or herself with the hope of reconciliations, redemption, salvation, forgiveness, sanctification and every other blessing that is "..in Christ Jesus."
"For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin."(Ps. 38:18)
"Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins."(Mt. 3:5-6)
"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."(Ja. 5:16)
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(I Jn. 1:9)
Fact is transparency is a Bible subject. Ultimately all will be transparent. At present God gives all His children the right to transparency.
More on the subject in the next blog.

TRANSPARENCY #2

David and Jonathan were such true friends. They were soul-mates. They understood one another and accepted one another.
It is said of Jonathan "...the soul of Jonathan was knit to David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."(I Sam. 18:1)
A friend of mine who lives in Wiggins, Ms. recently read one of my blogs I had written about my deceased friend Sonny Sziszak. In writing I had referred to our friendship as being something like David's friendship with Jonathan as revealed in I Sam. 18:1. My friend from Wiggins pointed me to what David said about Jonathan when Jonathan died in battle with the Philistines. David said "I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me..."(II Sam. 1:26)

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Who can find a better example of real transparency than that of David and Jonathan?
Transparency is defined as "allowing light to pass through" "easily understood" "frank".
And what a popular word it is in various circles today. This became so very evident to me recently when I heard a political candidate say "Let's be transparent." And I thought, "what" "why"? Just look at the way they depict one another now without so much transparency. Think how bad it would get if they were truly transparent.

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There was a time in our culture when transparency of any sort was a no, no. It was considered weakness. The strong, silent type was glamorized. Men were to keep things to themselves. Most everyone was reared in that setting. Don't talk about mistakes, doubts, or shortcomings. Express your self-confidence, independence, dependability, strength at all costs. Don't be a puddin. Suck it up we were told. And anyway everybody has problems so no one is interested in yours.
I seem to remember that Paul said that when he was weak then he was strong. He was not at all hesitant about revealing his shortcomings over and over again. He even informed us that our individual works were worth nothing. He told us that pride goes before the fall and if we think we are something we need to be careful. But I am getting ahead of myself.

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Indeed transparency is a scriptural concept. There will be a time when at a moment everything will come into the light, even those things which are done in private behind closed doors.
So, knowing this, one day in a little church building I decided to be transparent. I became very transparent with Jesus. And He said, son, come into my kingdom. You are forgiven. And He told me that he had come to save and not to condemn. Praise His blessed Name....
More on transparency in the next blog.......

Transparency #1

The light shines out of darkness

The result of

True Transparency

Last evening I was confronted with the reality of the most transparent person ever to be. I viewed for the first time "The Passion of the Christ."

Jesus said that He was "...the light of the world..."(Jn. 8:12) Peter told God's children that the were "...called out of darkness into His marvellous light."(I Pet. 2:9)

The cost of that blessing was so vividly depicted to me last night. I could not help but think of our recent trip to Jerusalem. We were taken to the Praetorium, a place with a stone wall and block floors, and we were told that this was the place where Jesus was scourged. So the Romans soldiers, we were told, beat Him beyond recognition, put a cross on his mutilated shoulders, and led Him out and crucified Him. The movie depicted a horribly lacerated Savior, but I am sure the producers could not imagine what actually happened to him that day in that bleak hour of His earthly existence.

Why did He do that I have often thought. He didn't have to. I will never understand completely why He suffered like that for such a worm as I. God really is love. And yes even God Himself must have suffered loss as the hands of that uncaring mass of people who killed His Son.

Why did they do what they did? I am convinced that it was because He told the truth. He was open and completely transparent. He was not a sinner as we are. But he dared to level with them and tell the truth about them and they crucifed Him.

Should we be transparent and what will be our treatment? That will be something we will look at for a while. I think it will surprise us the options that others have with respect to our lives and we theirs as we study the scriptures.

Fall Break

Thought I would share a few pictures

that we took this afternoon. I seem to

be taking longer to get my next blog

ready for print and I didn't want any

of you to think I was getting lazy. Every

once in awhile I just have to get out close to

the water, smell it, touch it, feel the breeze

on my face. If I could I would be fishing just

about every day. I really miss my boat

but I am praying God is going to provide

another one in the future. Today was a

very relaxing, enjoyable day just being

out in God's beautiful world and

taking in all His beauty He has

provided.

Sunrise - Sunset

SUNSET
SUNRISE

Seems as though LaJuana and I do a lot of traveling for some
reason. We enjoy riding around this part of Louisiana
and seeing the beautiful scenery. Even though LaJuana
was born and raised in Baton Rouge she has been gone
for a very long time. She is taking in all this beauty she
sees and taking as many pictures as she can. The Live Oaks
are about the most awesome thing she has found. As I looked
at this particular sunrise and sunset I was so reminded of how
short life is and how fast it goes by. If you take your eyes off a
sunset for more than a few seconds you will have missed it's
most beautiful moment, never to be seen again. That
particular sunset is gone forever.
Each day is the same. God gives us a fresh new day
every 24 hours and gives us a choice on how to spend that
day. I am certain I have wasted many days just doing
unmeaningful things as I am sure we all do. It is our
goal to try not to let another day go by without making
the most of it. Every breath we take, every word we speak,
every sunset we see is a blessing from God. I hope all
of you that read this will be encouraged to start making
the most of the time we have left by thanking our
Lord Jesus Christ for every blessing and asking HIM
to show us how we may be a blessing to others.

MY FRIEND SONNY

This is a tribute to my dear friend

Sonny Sziszak

Sonny passed away this morning October 1

at 1:30 AM.

This morning at 4AM I got a saddening phone call. My true friend Sonny Sziszak had died during the night.

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Two words in the Greek scripture can be translated friend. Hetairos means "one who is a friend to project his own interest." The other word, philos, means "a true friend who seeks another's good."

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One then can be a "friend" to another for selfish reasons. Or one can be a friend full of generosity and good intentions toward another. This is true friendship.

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Most people have had both kinds of friends. Sad that in a life time only a very few friends can be classified as philos. Today I lost a true friend and I will never forget him.

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It was said of Jonathan, David's friend, "...the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."(I Sam 18:1)

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It was my privilege to have a friend like that for over 20 years. Our friendship developed and became stronger over time. We began as fishing partners. We have never had an argument. Our relationship was positive and mutually helpful.

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As the years rolled by our fishing opportunities became less and less because of his failing health and my developing circumstances. Our friendship lasted beyond the sport.

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His health worsened and his heart could not endure the medicines he had to have to preserve his other organs. Last night he died. I will miss him for he was my philos.

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I love you Sonny, Wayne