Be
authentic with me and I promise you the same.
Step into the vast interior world of my heart
and I will delightedly wander yours in return.
Whatever is unearthed, I promise to hold it sacred-
I will not judge.
You are not too broken.
I am not nearly as pulled together as I may seem.
The truth is we all doubt,
we question our goodness,
we all secretly wonder am I enough?
Can God really love me?
I don’t care about the surface you-
Young or old
Rich or poor
Educated or drop out
Stick size or plus size.
Power broker
or minimum wage earner-
These things don’t interest me.
What I want to know is who are you to you?
Who are you to God?
What would you give up sleep and go without food for?
Who would you gladly lay down your life for?
What is the one thing as essential to you as breath?
In your quietest moments, do you welcome the company you keep?
As for me- the need to love and be loved is so enormous, so all encompassing,
so overwhelming that sometimes it feels as if it could swallow me whole
and if it did, I wouldn’t care at all-
It would be more than enough.
I need things I can barely begin to articulate:
real people, with real thoughts, about real things,
living in real community.
I realize no such sanctuary exists,
but can we not create it?
So please don’t pass me by with a simple “Fine, how are you?”
(Unless this happens to be true)
I really want to know when I ask: “How are YOU?”
So stop and tell me something honest.
I’m so tired of wearing this social mask.
Let me drop mine, and perhaps you will find the courage to drop yours too.
Come. Step cross this wary threshold.
If you can be authentic with me, then I promise you the same,
and if you cannot, may I have the courage to offer you
the truth of who I am-
regardless.