John 7:32-36

John 7:32-36
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I'll admit that I'm not always clear.  Sometimes I talk and I talk, but never actually get around to saying exactly what I mean.  Other times, I don't say enough -- I talk over or around the issue that's at hand.  When I was in the darkest nights of my struggles with anxiety, I didn't know how to talk about it, so I didn't.  If people knew that someone trying to be a pastor was constantly terrified, what would they think?
  We do this in church quite a bit as well.  We talk about how everything is going fine, when in reality it may not be.  When we're really hurting, that's often when we're the least clear, lest others think we are weak or broken.  We like to hide our scars, afraid of what others might think.  If people knew... what would they think?
  Jesus is speaking to the people here, but they don't hear him.  They don't understand what he's talking about.  They are listening, but not hearing.
  If you're struggling with something, please be honest.  Find someone you trust.  If you are active in a faith community, invest the extra time to find out what's REALLY going on with people.  Listen well.  Share your vulnerabilities.  The most surprising thing we often discover about the people around us is that they're usually struggling with problems similar to what we're struggling with.  But we're a community of faith, each of us walking one another home.  Don't hide your scars -- and don't judge others when they reveal theirs.  Love, and let yourself be loved, for God covers us in unconditional love, and the more time we practice that, the stronger our community is.