Being Vulnerable

9/25/1999

This reminded me of what some of us were talking about recently. Shawna

“Confess your sins one to another and pray for one another so that you may be healed.”—James 5:16

Being vulnerable, taking something that is hidden on the inside, and being willing to bring it forward so that we can pray for one another (which is the middle part of that verse) and so that we can therefore be healed—that is very, very much a part of ever going forward on a personal basis, as well as on a local assembly basis.

When we stop being vulnerable, when we stop volunteering what is on the inside—the things we might be tempted to be ashamed of—if we continue to put a spin on the impressions we give people, or continue to doctor and manipulate the impressions we give to people about who we are, we will never really see the Face of God and we will never see each others faces and hearts.

We’ve got to volunteer the inside of our hearts to one another, carefully with wisdom and grace. “You who are spiritual should restore such a one,” meaning there are some things that are best handled one way than another way, and that’s fine. But the essence is that we do volunteer. It’s not just that people are probing into our lives, but it’s us volunteering the inside of who we are and asking for prayer and asking for help. Not being ashamed, not trying to manipulate the impressions that people might have of us.

There is a scripture in first John that maybe hasn’t been given the attention it should because we thought it so ridiculous that it’s not even worth thinking about. Consider this, “If you claim to be without sin, you’re a liar and the truth is not in you.” Well, in the context of standard religion that verse has no meaning whatsoever because who in their right mind would ever in a million years say, “I don’t sin!” No one says that. So what does that verse mean?

In the context of living together, living out the Word of God and laying down our lives for another, that scripture makes sense. If you claim by the way you present yourself, to be without sin, you’re a liar and the truth is not in you. If you project something that has no vulnerability, if just by the way you choose to live, you refuse to open up those things on the inside and present the things that you need healing for or present the things you need prayer for, you’re a liar and the truth is not in you.

It’s not just saying, “I don’t have sin.” No one in their right mind would do that, but it’s living like you don’t think you do, and projecting to others that you apparently don’t because you know everything and are seldom suffering over anything. You don’t hurt very much. You carry it all on the inside. You have an answer for everything, you don’t ever believe yourself.

That is claiming to be without sin, without stumbling, and you are a liar and the truth is not in you. Understood in the context of the Life of Jesus corporate, lives laid down for one another, that scripture makes a ton of sense. It’s in the context of “If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another…and our joy is made complete.”

If you can, catch that whole picture again, discernment with Wisdom, as John was saying.

When we stop doing that because we are so good, because we know so much, because we have so much of an image to project and protect, then we are going to lose in measure gradually over time the Presence of God, the Life of God, the Revelation of God. There won’t be any more songs written that are fresh—that’s it. We’ll sing the old ones for the next ten years. The Life of God will begin to dry up when we stop being vulnerable because we are so “wise and spiritual” and “we’ve got the answers now,” or we’re just tired of being vulnerable, or any of those things.

The admonition and encouragement stands. Please, God’s intent is that we be vulnerable of our own free will. Willingly offer and lay our lives before our brothers and sisters—wisely. And it will serve your personal walk with God as well as all of our walks Together.