Day 12 - Hard Honesty
Scripture focus: It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Galatians 5:13 The Message
Do you remember a previous devotional when I talked about the "Biggest Loser" contestant who was busy saying the right things but not actually doing right? This attitude did not sit well with her trainer, Bob Harper. He demanded more from her. I am praying that this young woman realizes that Bob was giving her a gift of hope. If Bob did not believe in her ability to embrace a free and abundant life, he wouldn't bother pushing her toward a more honest, authentic lifestyle. He'd just let her slack off, knowing that the scale doesn't lie. Eventually she will fall below the line, and the rest of the contestants will bump her off the ranch. Bob could let nature take its course – but he doesn't. Instead, he tells her to shut up and just do it. He is being brutally honest and demanding that this young woman return the favor. But he's asking something more too – he's asking her to admit that although she doesn't have it in her own power to complete this mission, there is power to be accessed and he wants her to go for it.
A free life, an honest life, a life where confession is a common practice, is a life characterized by honesty AND a deep and abiding awareness of the principle of powerlessness. Admittedly, few make it to this place. The only way to arrive in this place is to require self to live consistently in thoughts, words, and actions.
Here's an example. Suppose a person says they love their spouse. If this is true, then that person has to live consistently in that truth – in thoughts, words, and deeds. It is no longer acceptable to say, "I love my wife BUT…" because there is no 'but.' If you say you love your wife, then do it. So when a judging, angry, unkind, picky, ugly thought arises pertaining to one's wife – it must be confessed as sin. Consistency demands that one never speak an unloving, disrespectful, unkind word to or about one's spouse. And one must act consistently in a loving manner toward one's spouse – and it must be in a manner that the spouse would indeed define as loving. (You can't decide that it is loving to tell a spouse their chin is sagging unless you know that your spouse would appreciate this information. It's not ok to say, "Babe, I love you but those jeans make you look like porky pig" and then claim that the truth will set her free. It's quite possible this particular kind of truth telling may land a spouse in the dog house, but rarely will it qualify as loving.)
Do I even need to deliver a punch line? Of course this is going to be very difficult to accomplish. And that's the hard, honest good news! Because as our inability to consistently live out in thought, word, and action what we profess to believe becomes clear to us – we confess. The confession process will require that we look long and hard at what we really believe. This is quite humbling. But with enough hard honesty, and an understanding that God accepts us just as we are – the transformation process can begin. Confession is a great way to hit bottom. It is a gift. It is the place where we can finally say, "I can't" – and mean it. It is at that exact moment that God freely responds back, "Then, my child, I will."
Recommended reading: Exodus 35-37
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