I love your guts.

I will confess. This one stung a bit for me.

In my 28 years since being ambushed by Jesus the Nazarene I can say that hypocrisy is pretty rampant all over.  And unfortunately the church is not even close to being safe from this.  I have found the church has a pretty big lack of authenticity among it's people. Everyone looks put together. Everyone says the right things.  Their masks are firmly placed. Hair perfectly. Perfect Clothes. Seemingly Perfect Lives.  And they are So not perfect. And in that. The outside world KNOWS we are hypocrites. How many people have turned from the church, from Jesus because of this? I am afraid to know this answer. And it does not have to be this way. It starts with you! 

We can start by looking in.  

Are you a whitewashed tomb or a Temple of the Living God? 

Are you the same at the grocery store, driving in traffic and sitting at church? 

Do you do what you say and say what you do? IF your best buddy walked in the room AND Jesus would you be the same or how about your pastor,neighbor, homeless person on the street?? 

It is a deep soul accounting question.

 AM I who I say that I am? Are my actions the same as my words? What areas are NOT this way? Do I keep certain things off facebook or instagram or twitter or any of the other social media venues because someone at church MIGHT see it? Do I keep secrets from my friends? Family? Accountability? Am I transparent? 

When we hold up a facade of our life we rob others from learning what authenticity is. And, in turn, leave people with the feeling that they have to do the same or that the Christian club is too difficult to attain. That their struggles are strange. And also rob ourselves from authentic living and true community.

"Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." (Galatians 6:2-3)

We have to remember that we are saved by grace. We live daily in HIS Grace. 

“By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Transparency is not always easy. It keeps you accountable to your actions and to others. It causes you to think before you act or speak. BUT it also creates in you a FREE spirit, clean soul and immeasurable joy.  Besides the fact that: 

 "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:13)

It is an everyday review of our inner selves checking our guts out seeing if they are clean, and usable for His Glory.  We have to admit to our selves and others we are not perfect. Pray and lift one another up. Trust Jesus and those we are authentic with.  Act in obedience to God's word. And give thanks for those that God put into our lives to "DO LIFE" together with. 

Don't be a box of rot and bones. BE a Temple for the LIVING GOD and allow Him to live in you. He will give you freedom you have never known and community that you have longed for.  

Look at those around you and Love their guts. Love them from the inside; what makes them who they are. The good and the ugly parts. We are imperfect people which is why we all need a perfect Savior.  Speak in love and help heal one another. Grow. 

I love your guts. And so does He. 

Blessings.