Transparency

Transparent - free of deceit. Vulnerable - open. These two words describe what I desire in my close friendships. For some reason, especially for guys, these don't come easily. We are taught to always play it close to the vest and not let people see where we are vulnerable. If you are open with your weaknesses, then someone can take advantage of you or use that against you. So walls are built. Walls that keep people from knowing what you really think and feel. I'm tired of discussion about sports or work all of the time. (Don't get me wrong I like to talk about sports, work..not as much, but if that as far as the conversation goes then I lose interest.) I want discussions about dreams, what decisions we are dealing with, what we are learning in life, and thoughts we are wrestling with. To risk being tranparent with someone means you are willing to be vulnerable. To let someone behind the walls to see what is really going on. Can we as guys stop taking the easy way out and take some real risks and be honest? It is time to man up. As someone who is trying to follow Jesus, I have often heard the quote "as iron sharpens iron" in describing what our relationships should be about. Well, from what I see most of the time we fall way short of sharpening one another. We are content being dull and building our walls brick by brick. Find someone you trust and start being real and transparent with that person. Don't wait on them to take the intiative, but risk being vulnerable and share what is going behind the walls of your life. Need a starting point? Here are some great questions that I ran across today on Craig Groeschel's blog. Don't wait for the opportune time, but find somewhere to start today. Let's move beyond the dull and into the risky.

• How is your relationship with God?
• When is the last time you failed?
• What faith risk are you currently taking?
• What hard decision have you been postponing?
• Who is speaking into your life and what are you learning?
• What is you biggest vulnerability?
• What are you dreaming about that you haven't told anyone about yet?
• If God would bless anything you did, what would you attempt?
• Do you have any ongoing sin issues? What are you doing about it?
• Are you doing what God has called you to do? If not, what can I do to help you to find the right fit?