Transparency

For months now, I have been using this word... I intend it to mean that my team has to be completely open and honest with our customers business in order to build the trust necessary to bridge our coming workload without self destructing. We are beginning to reap the rewards as our customers now believe us, trust us, and want to work with us, even when I have to deliver bad news.

On the family and church fronts.. I don't very many people that I am really transparent with...Even fewer that I believe are tranparent with me. Somehow, somewhere, we all learned to put up these facades so that all appears well, even if it is not. I read an email devotional from John Fischer that was profound...below is an excerpt..

" How much of being a Christian and going to church is all about appearances? Too much, at least in my experience. Too many of us act as if it were our responsibility to make God look good by showing ourselves as shiny happy people. In the end, we make God look bad, because we are dishonest in the worst sort of way; we are dishonest with ourselves. Do this long enough and you lose track of who you really are. I find that a lot of Christians get so far removed from who they are that they need professional counseling to help them face the truth about themselves. Most of this comes from getting good at living an impression rather than living the truth. We are too good for our own good. "
John Fischer: Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotional 3/10/06

I wish I had some levers to pull to fix this worldly truth. The weight and burden of the appearance driven world is oppressive.

A simple truth which I try to use as a guidepost to my days.

People don't do things without a reason. Most of the time, I don't know the reason, even when I think I do. If I assume that everyone is trying to help, I seem to do better than if I assume negative intentions. Both approaches are painful because of the amount of error, but by granting sincerity to my fellow man, I lay the groundwork for building relationships and improving life. If I assume intentional harm....we can only go to war.. and in war.. Both sides lose more than anyone gains.



You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a hex on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it's obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the Cross was certainly set before you clearly enough.
Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!

Galations 3:1-4 from The Message