Transparency, the first thing that comes to mind is using a transparency to blow up a big picture on my wall….must love decor:)  But today I’m talking about some great advice that a really sweet and dear friend gave to me.  We NEED to be transparent.  Our lives–joys, struggles, hardships, sins, triumphs–they should be shared!  Ry and I were recently dealing with some not so fun marriage “stuff”…you have any of that???…and that’s when I went to this friend for advice.  The best thing I walked away with was that she said, Allie, it’s good to be transparent.  To share your struggles, what your dealing with in your marriage, the sin in your life….because out of this you help other people.  See, in the Christian world especially it is so easy to hide, cover-things up, not reveals your true thoughts, feelings, etc because then we would “appear” to not be perfect, not holy enough to call Jesus Daddy.  He, or perhaps the Christians around us might not accept us anymore.  Well you know what I realized when I started looking into this concept, this idea of being transparent.  God uses imperfect people!  Easy as that!  And not only imperfect, but even people that I would have a hard time being friends with if they were still alive today.  Look at David, the only person the Lord says was truly a man after God’s own heart.  He lusted after a woman, who in fact was married, and committed adultery with her, and proceeded to have her husband killed so that he could be with her!  If I knew someone like that I’m not sure I would want to be their go-to friend.  I’m not even sure I could like them.  But the Lord USED him…in mighty ways might I add.  God is so forgiving, and through that story we can better understand God’s forgiveness and grace.  Not to say that there aren’t consequences for the sins we do commit.  Davids son from that relationship dies because of it….but God did not leave him

Also take a look at Gideon.  Now Gideon was a man from a very small tribe that probably thought God didn’t even know he really existed…ever get that feeling??? But God used an angel to meet Gideon and tell him that he will rise up to lead his nation.  How did Gideon respond??? With doubt, he put God to the test!  If this is true Lord, give me a sign, make this piece of fleece wet and the ground dry.  The coolest thing about this is that God met him where he was at, he responded to Gideon twice, even though Gideon was full of doubt.

Transparency, it’s okay to not always be perfect.  It’s actually good to share it with others.  What is the upside for us?  Accountability.  Sin lives in darkness.  If we don’t share it, it will grow and fester.  If we get it into the light, we confess it and possibly help others that are going through the same thing, and we also gain the prayers and accountability of the other brothers and sisters in Christ that will hold us up.

The Lord didn’t use perfect people, in fact all of them were imperfect in some way, and he used them greatly!  He also shared their triumphs and tribulations I believe so that we can learn from them.  He wrote them down for every person in history to read.  We need to realize that we too can be used by God right where we are at today.   We don’t need to have that “perfect” relationship to do great things for God.  So I challenge you, with myself, to be real.  To share your struggles and your triumphs.  I think you will be surprised how many other people are dealing with the same thing that you are too!