I was reading an article this morning in the Adventist Review, June 27th issue, by a woman named Tara VinCross.
The article was quite intriguing. It started off with the birth of Christ.
How the untouchable God became touchable when He “put on” the flesh of human beings.
In this way He could become better known.
Then she goes on to talk about how being touched makes us vulnerable.
“To let other people touch you, to let them reach out and come in contact with you, can make you weak. You are vulnerable, and the contact is only an example of the infinite physical, spiritual and emotional vulnerabilities.”
Wow! How true that is. Most of us live in a touchless society.
We have Facebook, MySpace, Twitter — social networks. These sites barely cover the surface of getting to know people. Sure, you can get updates on people and know what’s going on in their lives. In that regard their purpose is accomplished.
But it’s not the same as taking in a ballgame with a friend. Sitting on a porch and drinking lemonade on a warm day. Going for a hike.
Getting to know the person one-on-one. Personally. Intimately. Even to the point of knowing their weaknesses ~ not just their strengths.
Tara goes on to say “Somehow we have gotten this idea that we are not supposed to share our weaknesses as Christians.”
Yes Tara. You are right. Surface friendship. Of course, that term is an oxymoron but I’ll use it for now.
And continuing: “We try to keep ourselves up on pedestals and let people believe that we have it all together. But we know that if people got close to us they would see that we have issues too.”
Really? Yes. It’s true. We all have issues.
We are all broken inside. Blame it on your father, your mother, your sister, your brother, your neighborhood, the food you ate or didn’t eat, the microwave, etc. etc. etc.
Now that we’ve acknowledged our brokenness, what are we doing about it?
Are we helping each other get through it or are we pointing the finger at each other?
Jesus came in the flesh and allowed people to touch Him. He made Himself available to be touched.
I want to be able to touch and be touched. So if you see my weaknesses, please help to lift me up because after all, I’m just like you.
Hmmm … life, as it is.
