I've grown up in church my whole life. I like to think I've seen it all from every type of missionary to every type of traveling- evangelist, but of course I haven't. But having been constantly exposed to Christian culture, I began to notice a trend. Christians don't like vulnerability. On a general level, we don't like the world being able to see through us. The idea of "wearing a mask to church" has been a common sermon topic over the past few years. But transparency is more than removing a mask. Webster's defines transparency as "honest and open; not secretive".
A mask simply covers what lies beneath, transparency requires not only the dropping of a charade, but the reveal of someone's nature. So why does the Church not like transparency? Think of this: we, as Christians, hold ourselves to a standard of honoring God in all we do. But what about when we mess up? Does a potentially-dangerous perception of an angry God prevent us from being open about our mistakes? I believe so, so before any transparency can take place the Church at large must be able to handle the dualism that is a JUST and LOVING God. These adjectives do not stand alone, they are inseparable. God has a father's heart, which demand Justice and love at the same time.
It boggles our secular mindset, it confuses every worldly perception we have. Connecting this to transparency, we must have this mindset and will then have set a healthy environment for individuals to prosper and be transparent. Transparency on the most basic, daily level is being real, genuine. Being honest about things that have happened but also allowing people to be themselves. There is beauty in transparency. There is beauty in grace. There is beauty in the God who created us who we are for a purpose. To fulfill such a purpose, we must be transparent and real.
2 Timothy 2:15-"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."
