I thank God for people who have enough holy boldness to be transparent when it is necessary. I know this woman could have used a little transparency from the right person. Tammy is a young woman who has lost her way in life. She has been involved with a string of men who have told her lies about their feelings for her only to gain access to her mind and body. She keeps falling for these type men because in her mind the attention spells “l-o-v-e.” The relationship always dissipates on her part every time she can manage to see the truth but she quickly falls for it again when another man of the same caliber comes along. However, two women have crossed her path that recognize the cycle and try to help her live a better life. One woman she met at the gym they both frequent. Through various one-on-one conversations this woman learned of Tammy’s struggle in falling for the wrong men. One day this woman decided to open up to Tammy about her past struggles in relationships and how she is a victim of child molestation. She stressed to Tammy the need to disconnect from the idea of trying to repair a soul that has never existed for anyone. During their times of meeting in social settings outside the gym, this woman was constantly sharing with Tammy how overtime she herself gained peace in life by practicing ethical conduct, discipline and wisdom. She also stressed the benefits of time given to meditation. Intrigued by a woman who opened up to Tammy about some of the most intimate details of her life that held such tragedy, a friendship was unfolding. What intrigued her more was that this woman was using her story to give talks in the schools for troubled girls. Tammy thought there must be something to this life of meditation.
On the other hand, the other woman Tammy met on her job, often tried getting Tammy to come to church with her. Tammy was reluctant due to her pass experiences with church folk. This other woman often had lunch with Tammy and she was always encouraging Tammy. She would share scripture and try to find what related to Tammy’s life to show her what the “love of God was like.” What Tammy did not know is that this other woman had been a Christian practically all her life but had a period of failure at a late point in her life in regards to men. Practically all her dates came from the internet; she felt invisible to men. This “Christian woman” knew what it was to seek worth through the attention of a man. Nevertheless, God gave her a second chance to get a better understanding of all that it meant to be without God and have Him redeem her back. She herself knew what God "IS like." HOWEVER—this woman never told Tammy any of this about herself. She diligently stayed with those scriptures though and tried convincing Tammy of how she could change. She tried her best to stay on the surface with Tammy. After all, some things you have to keep to yourself. You do not want someone bringing up your past when you have long left it. Right?
So, which one of these women you think will win Tammy over? I love transparency, don’t you? I am thankful to God for the scripture that exposes the lives of people like David, Saul who became Paul and others. However, you know what…I want to know that God is working in the lives of believers not just from their B.C. stage of life (their life before they claimed to know Jesus Christ as their Savior) but also in their A.D. (After they became Determined to live for Him). I would say that in the portrayals above, both have equal opportunity to influence Tammy’s life. Sadly, without a miracle I doubt the Christian woman will. Since when did a dead man/woman have a reputation to protect or have to worry about people knowing their business? (rhetorical thought to ponder)
"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ]. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews [for Christ]; to men under the Law, [I became] as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might win those who are under the Law. To those who are without (outside) the Law, [I became] as one without the Law, though [I am] not without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became [as the] weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means [in any and every way] save some [by leading them to faith in Jesus Christ]. And I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings along with you." (I Corinthians 9:19-23 Amplified)
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