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.
1 comment:
I agree that there are some with whom being transparent has been made not only painful, but impossible. Unfortuntaly most times our leaders are not mature themselves and misuse the trust placed in them.
Scripture tells us we should be, (transparent)but experience tells us it is too painful and we begin to wonder if it is "worth it". I think in some cases it is not.
Wisdom is hard to find, even in those to whom we look for guidenance. There will be a time though when we all learn a very hard lesson. One God tells us about and we tend to think doesn't mean us. "All have sined and fallen short of the Glory of God" He sees all, knows all, and we can't hide behind our own "righteousness". I look forward to your future blogs on the subject.
Thanks
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