Posts Tagged: vulnerability
“Intimacy and Vulnerability”
Most of the wisdom I have (perhaps all of it) comes from other people. One of the guys in my 12-step group who usually criticizes himself for talking too much and rambling gives me a lot of wisdom. And no, he does not talk too much or ramble.
We were talking about three topics this morning, two of which were intimacy and vulnerability. Intimacy is not simply—or even mainly—about sex. Of course sexual intimacy is . . . well . . ., very intimate, but there are lots of other kinds of intimacy.
My friend, the non-rambler, gave me two wonderful sentences that connected and summed up these two topics nicely.
“Intimacy is showing yourself to someone.
Vulnerability is the cost and the risk of showing yourself to someone.”
It’s quite true! Being willing to show your true self is a risky business. Will the other person reject the real you? Will they talk to others about your self-revelation? Intimacy is far more scary than roller coasters, and I’m terrified of roller coasters.
We have a God who knows us inside and out, and who also welcomes us just as we are, with all our weaknesses.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:12–16 The Holy Bible, English Standard Version)
Perhaps if we realized that, we might be a little more likely to risk intimacy with our fellow human beings.
“Vulnerable Courage”
Here is my journal entry from this morning:
Friday, April 26, 2019
I listened to Brenè Brown on Netflix yesterday evening. A bit salty in her language, but very good. (Also, she is very funny, which doesn’t hurt her talk at all.) Based on her talk, two good questions to ask myself are these: Am I showing up in the arena? Am I throwing my entire self into this?
Here is my 12-step affirmation for today: “Today, by God’s grace, I am entering the arena. I don’t have to win. I do have to (and get to) throw my entire heart, soul, and mind into the battle. And I am doing precisely that.”
I teach my final exegesis of Isaiah face-to-face class today, from 9:00 until 5:00. I am not as prepared as I would like to be. Or, at least, I don’t feel as prepared as I should be. However, I need to show up, whatever my state of preparation. Perhaps showing up is the name of the game. Perhaps showing up is the game.
Brown says that being vulnerable is one of the central characteristics of courage. She almost equates the two. I agree.
So, today I will be vulnerably courageous and courageously vulnerable.
Arena, here I come!
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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