It is approaching 1:00 A.M. here in Chiang Mai, Thailand where we have been doing ministry, with an all girls orphanage, for the past few days and I feel compelled to share this thought. I was exhausted from a long day, but I just listened to a testimony from Brian, one of the men on my squad, which just blew me away. His vulnerability and transparency depicted such courage and brought such power to the group of men listening. Last night, another one of the men on my team allowed us to play a game with him called, “Hot Seat.â€� Basically we got to ask Taylor any question we wanted. This also brought about an environment of vulnerability; “showing weaknessâ€� among men, which is hard to find in this world. As men I’ve noticed that we like to wear masks to hide our true self probably due to fear and insecurity of what people will think of who we really are.
Listening to a podcast, this morning, I learned that the original Latin meaning of the word “courage� actually means sharing your story with others. Basically, allowing ALL of yourself to be exposed to the ears of other people, exposed to the light, which can be so frightening. At the beginning of the month, I prayed to God that we as men would be vulnerable with each other. I believe that opening up our inner lives to others is essential to receive the healing that Jesus offers (He already knows everything anyways). Jesus gave the best example of the exposed life, while hanging naked from a cross….this is the example God gave. I thank God for the men on my team and the “High Courage� that they so boldly portray and for the love that they can now freely give!!
Fish cleaning our feet!
1 John 1: 5-7 “This is the message that we have heard from Him and declared to you: God is light. In Him their is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
