Exposed
Webster’s dictionary defines exposed as “made visible by uncovering it” or “left in an unprotected or vulnerable state.” The Greek translation of the root word elegxo means “to convince with solid compelling evidence.” No matter how you choose to look at the word it comes with a bit of a biting tone . . . uncovering, vulnerable, convince.
For something to be exposed . . . it must be hidden. For someone to be exposed . . . they must be hiding something. For someone to be exposed . . . ultimately, they need to be known. For someone to be known . . . they need to be in community.
As someone who struggles with depression, I have begun to recognize the darker moments when I’m most susceptible to the little voice that tells me, “you’re not good enough” “why do they need to hear from you” or “what do you have to add.” These moments come and the voice speaks loudest when I’m isolated.
Isolation shows up in my emails and texts but mainly on my calendar . . . when it becomes full of things and not people. In my life, busyness forces others out and let’s to-do items in. I get lulled to sleep by the shallowness of my digital communication until, one day I realize . . . I am alone. In his book Known, Dick Foth puts words to this feeling, “trying to make a friend at light speed is brutal.”
We all want to be known – to engage another in a deep and meaningful conversation, to find a handwritten letter in the mailbox, to get a phone call from someone who says, “I’ve been thinking about you.” C.S Lewis said, “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” But being fully known can only begin when we allow ourselves to be fully loved by our Heavenly Father . . . to be reminded whose we are.
Story is the front door to friendship. We can look as far as Genesis to see, “it is not good for the man to be alone.” Foth goes on to say, “Your story is an original and, when you tell it, the door to a possible friendship swings open. Another person can walk through that door and into your world. Then you walk through that person’s story into theirs.”
On the surface, hiding seems so much easier. Why did Zacchaeus hide in a tree (other than being short) or Nicodemus show up to see Jesus at night? It was low risk – get a glimpse of Jesus as He passes by or ask a quick question under the cover of darkness. But here’s the thing, low-risk relationships don’t work with Jesus. Look at Psalm 139 (MSG) and reflect on these statements . . .
“I’m an open book to you . . . you know everything I’m going to say . . . you shaped me first inside, then out . . . the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.”
The Psalmist goes on to say (and this resonates with me the most, especially when I’m on the path to isolation) . . .
“‘Oh, he even sees me in the dark!’ At night I’m immersed in the light! It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.”
Remember, God wants all of us. He shaped us from day one . . . so what do we have to hide? I want to leave you with a song. Maybe it will speak to you like it does to me . .
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