Vulnerability

Falconbrother is one of my favourite people who post at the Brennan Manning Message Board. He always gives me food for thought. I love how he says it straight. Here is one of his most recent posts on the board about vulnerability. Enjoy!

"It seems to me that Christ calls us to be weak (vulnerable) so that He will shine through.

It’s in the honesty of vulnerability that people see the love that was proclaimed. It is in that brokenness that lives are healed. The thing is, it’s like others have already said here, it’s trusting enough to disconnect from the outcomes.

Vulnerability is a testimony. Don’t you think? It’s saying “this is what’s happening in my life. Do what you will with it.” Then, it allows the other person to be gracious or an #######. In graciousness they learn to become more gracious and steeped in joy. In assholeness their inner struggle is exposed to the light of day (it’s the “you don’t have to tell a fat man he’s fat” theory). Either way, if done in the spirit, it is a gift.

It’s like a law or something. When we give we receive. To bless another with our honesty often reaps blessings far beyond what we gave.

There’s this lady in our church, she died yesterday. But, on Sunday she stood up and talked about her fears and she cried and just got honest before the whole congregation. We all cried with her and that moment became infected with the Holy Spirit. We didn’t know she would die so soon. Neither did she. However, in her vulnerability seeds have been planted. Some will grow and be harvested.

The beauty of a person is, in my opinion, is found in their tender use of honest expression of community and tenderness. As long as we defend our mask and neurotic need for ego control issue crap we work counter to the efforts of the ministry of the Holy Spirit."