Those People

Brene Brown’s Ted Talks and books advocate that we admit our vulnerability and  brokenness, as well as our need for connection.   We are in a crisis of disconnection, she says, cut off from each another, denying our vulnerability, wearing masks of competency and independence.

Why the masks?   In a word, says Brown,

FEAR.

“Fear of vulnerability. Fear of getting hurt. Fear of the pain of disconnection. Fear of criticism and failure. Fear of conflict. Fear of not measuring up.”

The truth is we are ALL broken.  And according to Brown, we are one step away from being “THOSE” people whom we may feel superior towards — at least in the recesses of our minds.

According to Brown,  “We are the others.  Most of us are one paycheck, one divorce, one drug-addicted kid, one mental health illness, one sexual assault, one drinking binge, one night of unprotected sex, or one affair away from being those people.    The ones we don’t trust, the ones we pity, the ones we don’t let our kids play with, the ones bad things happen to, the ones we don’t want living next door.”

My mother-in-law recently posted this on Facebook.

Our job here on earth is quite simple.  Admit brokenness.  Walk with God.  And love.

The Bible says that at the end there will remain faith, hope, love – but the greatest of these is love.

And yes, love for those people…who as it turns out …is us.

“Dear God, I see that I am more flawed and sinful than I ever dared believe, but that I am even more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I turn from my old life of living for myself. I have nothing in my record to merit your approval, but I now rest in what Jesus did for me and ask to be accepted into your family for his sake. Amen.”

Tim Keller