People love drama.
No, no. Let me rephrase that.
People live for drama.
Don’t believe me?
Just look at some of our most popular reality tv shows:
Toddlers and Tiaras. My 600lb. Life. The Kardashians.
And how about the people who stop to capture a live action confrontation like a car accident or school fight on their smartphone?
It shouldn’t have surprised then when I started sharing some of my intimate life-struggles that more people started reacting–some positively and empathetically, while others negatively and judgmentally.
But here’s the thing. My willingness to be authentic and put myself out there is not about the number of people that view my posts or like my Instagram pics.
This is something far more meaningful.
This is about being real and authentic and vulnerable, for it is “there” that connections are created.
In her book Daring Greatly, Brene Brown writes, “I firmly believe that being vulnerable with a larger audience is only a good idea if the healing is tied to the sharing, not to the expectations I might have for the response I get.”
Confession, sunshine.
It is painful to watch myself on my FB live videos because I am not comfortable in my skin right now.
And guess what?
Sometimes people have unfavorable responses to my openness.
But I don’t do the videos for me. I
do them week after week because I believe God called me to share my story for His glory.
I do them for the 100s of people who’ve shared how they’ve been impacted by my “realness” and willingness to share “the struggle is real.”
And believe me, it is.
My sharing is not about me, friend. It is all about Him. If I can reach one person and have them read a post and think, “Oh man. Me, too!” then I am living an authentic life–a life of obedience to what I believe He’s gifted me to do.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand.
Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!
Keep open house; be generous with your lives.
By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God,
this generous Father in heaven.”
Matt 5:14-16 MSG