Oh, how we were NOT paste jewelry and sawdust hot dogs last Tuesday! I left feeling invigorated, amazed and completely awestruck by the Power of our discussion. It was as though each and every one of us were beaming rays of intersecting light as the conversation and "reckless love" emerged from our mouths.
Humility, transparency, authenticity and the Light of Christ are the words to chew on for this week!
Some questions that we established as a group:
1) Kathy suggested that transparency means there is nothing in me that prevents the Light of Christ to shine through me and out to be seen by others. What an image! It begs the question, then...What is in me that prevents that Light from shining completely through?
2) So, we agreed there is power in naming that which prevents the Light from shining through. Can I name it?
3)As the evening came to a passionate ending, we agreed to discuss more about the conflict between the internal self and external self, referring to this passage from the book: At some unremembered moment I have lost the connection between internal purity of heart and external works of piety. In the most humiliating sense of the word, I have become a legalist. I have fallen victim to what T.S. Eliot calls the greatest sins: to do the right thing for the wrong reason. So, the question to continue discussing next week is this: Where is the disconnect between my internal and external self?
And as one whole we closed with this prayer:
Lord Jesus,
We are silly sheep who have dared to stand before You and try to bribe You with our preposterous portfolios. Suddenly we have come to our senses. We are sorry and ask You to forgive us. Give us the grace to admit we are ragamuffins, to embrace our brokenness, to celebrate Your mercy when we are at our weakest, to rely on Your mercy no matter what we may do. Dear Jesus, gift us to stop grandstanding and trying to get attention, to do the truth quietly without display, to let the dishonesties in our lives fade away, to accept our limitations, to cling to the gospel of grace, and to delight in Your love. Amen.
Much love,
Julie
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I had a thought this week about transparency. We have often in the past referred to transparency as being honest with people. But if we look at it in the context of reflecting God's light, then being honest is only one part of being transparent. Because sometimes being honest (or saying whatever comes to our minds) is not always reflecting God's light. In other words, sometimes NOT speaking our minds or being honest is reflective of God's light...or extending GRACE. I'm not suggesting to lie. Just maybe holding our tongues...the old saying "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all."
ReplyDeleteI love this working definition of transparency we have come up with! Thx Kathy!!
Oh, also...if honesty is only one element of transparency, then what are some others?
ReplyDeleteI think you said exactly what I was thinking...holding your tongue. I have found that when I do this with people (who I may want to let loose on) there is an openness created and they come back for more. It then gives me an opportunity to shine His light again. Sometimes not talking keeps communication open.
ReplyDeleteI like your direction, Melissa. ANYTHING THAT IS ABOUT ME must be the complete opposite of transparency, right? In other words, unforgiveness (about me), fear (about me), denial (about me), pride (about me), victimhood (about me), even love can be about me. My thought is this: Anything about me clouds the clarity necessary for Him to shine through. Mmmm, mmmm, mmm!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Julie! I think that's the bottom line. Less of us and more of Him!!!
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