On being naked in public. (No pics….It’s not that kind of blog)
“What used to make us stumble, God can use to make us stand. What once
made us bow our heads in shame,
He can use for His glory.”~ Joanna Weaver~
Having a Mary Spirit
My cheeks start to burn. My eye dart around me- looking for something, ANYTHING to cover myself with. “Why are there so many people here? Isn’t there anywhere I can hide?” My hands and arms clutch to cover, what they can’t. (funny- before three c-sections they could cover more…) My heart pounds. I break into a sweat. I am naked. And, I do not WANT to be.
Then. I wake up.
Relieved. It’s a dream. A nightmare. Whew. So glad it was a dream. Maybe it’s one you’ve had, too.
Being naked (or nakey- as my youngest calls it) in public, is one of the top rated fears. I can honestly say- it’s not a fear I’ve had to face. Technically. (Well- except for that one time at Olive Garden, when my youngest was nursing and decided to play “peek-a-b**b.” But, nursing accidents don’t count!)
Psychologists say it’s actually related to a fear of intimacy. A fear of being “known.” Or seen as we are.. naked, in a way. We seem to think that we are the worst. That if people really knew us (could see us nakey) they’d reject us.
So- instead of letting people see who we really are, we cover up. We clutch at things to hide our flaws. Clothes, achievements- (or those of our kids) “stuff” make-up, status, lies and money. We grab at them to cover up with. We become master stylists of appearance management. Some of us could be stylists to the stars. We’re that good. We pretend to be perfect, have perfect lives, perfect families, perfect unquestioning faith….. so maybe, just maybe, people will like us. Maybe they’ll accept us. (maybe not- who really LIKES perfect people anyways?)
Sometimes we even play this game with God. We try to put on a “spiritual game face.” We do our best to look perfect. Do all the right things….say all the right things….cover up our flaws so maybe- just, maybe, God will accept us…
The thing is, He already does.
Maybe even more so- when we’re honest and naked before Him.
I wonder what would happen if we were honest/ naked- before each other? What would it look like? (ummm honesty not nudity. Nudity, in my case, looks like a zebra. This according to my son.. who once announced that I had “zebra stripes” on my thighs. A shout out to all my sisters in stretch marks…! )
Anyway, what if the things we try to hide- were actually points of connection we could have with others? What if “What used to make us stumble, God can use to make us stand. What once made us bow our heads in shame, He can use for His glory.” What if, in appropriate settings and times we shared those things that God has done or is doing in our lives…to give hope to others? And in doing in it- we found even more hope for ourselves? What if honesty before God and those around us… opened us up to be changed us into what we want to be, and gave others hope?
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. ” 2 Cor 1:3-5
I’m not talking about walking around naked all day. You’d get arrested. (well- unless you’re famous…. then I guess you call it “clubbing” and get your picture taken…) I’m not even talking about sharing your whole life story with everyone you meet. I’m talking about taking the opportunities we have each day, to risk a bit and be real. Just a little bit of nakey in public. To allow God to use what used to make us hang our heads in shame…for HIS glory. With our loved ones, with our God, with each other…. sharing the comfort God has given….and the sufferings that brought it.
“Dear Jesus- I pray that you’d give us courage. The courage to be naked in public. I pray that you’d give us opportunities and wisdom, to share the things you are and have done in our lives. That each experience- ugly or hard or beautiful and peaceful would be used to your glory, either by building the muscles of our faith, in the work that you do in us, or by sharing the comfort you’ve given…. with others. I love you Lord-use it all. amen”
special thnx to Loni at “Joy in the Morning” our “In Other Words” Host this week! Stop by to read more takes on the quote!
Tracey,
What a thought-provoking post. I am a strong advocate that if we were more honest with one another and accountable to one another that we would be able to take the hurts of yesterday and grow from them so much quicker. But finding the right person or community to share that kind of honesty with is difficult. Bless you for talking about our need for naked hearts.
You bless me.
We must have been on the same wavelength when we read this quote. The first thing I thought of when I read the post was the mask we wear too…
What a wonderful take on this weeks quote. I can relate so much of what you shared in your post (three naked c-sections to boot!) but your perception of our hearts needs was touched my heart. Blessings to you!
This is terrific Tracey. I love how weave humor in great object lessons. nakey, breast feeding, we can all relate.
“sad but true “We become master stylists of appearance management. Some of us could be stylists to the stars.”
Bit what would happen if we were honest/ naked- before each other?
I think we do this a little with our blogs. This quote certainly humbled me. Maybe your post will encourage us to do more.
Blessings
Dear Tracey,
This post is wonderful and well written. I am so glad I read it . I loved this part:
Sometimes we even play this game with God. We try to put on a “spiritual game face.†We do our best to look perfect. Do all the right things….say all the right things….cover up our flaws so maybe- just, maybe, God will accept us…
The thing is, He already does.
Maybe even more so- when we’re honest and naked before Him.
May the Lord Bless you this week and always.
Angel ():)
Tracey,
Brilliantly written. This post spoke to me. I try hard to be transparent but there are still a few things I still need to work on. God was speaking to me just this morning about this then I read your post. Amazing. He really want s me to hear Him today.
PS. I am writing a nakey post on Friday… Hmmmmm, I already have most of it composed… funny. Be blessed, Lynn
What a great post and what a picture to share with us all! Thank you for sharing.
Blessings ~~Loni
This was wonderful. This has been my struggle. I am a Women’s Ministry Co-ordinator and several months ago my Sr Pastor shared this same thing with me. Well in different words of course…we would never talk about being naked. Not sure that would be appropriate.lol
If I’m not real and open about what I’ve been through or am currently going through how can I expect my women to be real. This is hard, there is fear, what if they don’t like the “real” me. Yet I am the daughter of my King and I am His beloved.If I remember whose I am I find it is easier to open up and be real.
God Bless you sister and thank you!
What power there is in being transparent before Him!
Well, the title did scare me. 🙂 But the post was wonderful.
thanks for so wonderful post being shared to us.
to be honest not only in words but also in actions. let the words and actions say the same thing.
We would all be be better off if we were honest and treated each other well and with respect.
Good blog.