Open Up

“By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God.” (Matthew 5:16 MSG)

Many of us like to hold our cards close to our chest. We are guarded and careful when sharing personal information with others. Here are some reasons why we are reluctant to open up to others:

--We don’t want to feel vulnerable.

--We don’t want our weaknesses to be used against us.

--We don’t want to be misunderstood.

--We don’t want to reveal our imperfections.

--We prefer admiration over condescension.

--We are afraid that our openness might bring shame and rejection.

Keeping our imperfections private might make us feel better about ourselves, but it also makes us less relatable. Vulnerability allows us to connect with each other, while an air of superiority merely creates distance. Once we accept our flaws, we are less reluctant to share them with others. Opening up allows us to show others how God has worked in our lives. As we expose our wounded self, the scars reveal where the Lord has stitched us up--healing our iniquities and restoring us to wholeness. As long as Christ dwells within us, self-disclosure ultimately results in bringing glory to God.

Lord, help us to open ourselves up to others, so that they can see how You are working in our lives.