Categories: uncategorized
Date: 18 January 2008 06:38:48
I have a friend who yesterday, quite publicly, made themselves quite vunerable by disclosing something about themselves and their mental health. From what they said (and I really don't know whether it's appropriate to link to their disclosure or not and so I'm not going to) they made the decision to "go public" because they realised that they were in a position to help other people get an understanding of their condition. Now I have to say whilst I don't think that we need to know everything about everybody that this type of honesty is really important aswell as really brave.
I know from personal experience that it is quite scary to take the risk of rejection and misunderstanding which comes from making yourself vunerable by being honest about who you are. Yet I know that fear and misunderstanding will only be reduced when more people feel they are able to be honest about a variety of areas of their life because it is in those situations other people find out that their prejudices and stereotypical ideas about "the other" are quite wrong.
In terms of churches and Christianity we will only be able to be true intentional community when we are not engaging in acts of individual aswell as corporate silence on issues we aren't comfortable with; be that relating to mental health, sexuality or abuse issues. Also, I believe, it is only when we overcome this silence we will truly be able to engage in mission because only when we are honest about ourselves will we be able to honestly share what God has done (and where we don't understand Him) in our own lives.
Vulnerability takes bravery and that is why at the moment I am extremely proud of my friend and what he has done.