reflection for cross-cultural communication class

I want to be real. I want to be a real person. I want to be “radiant over the goodness of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31). But after everything we’ve talked about, I think this is really hard. The idea of being this real person is extremely desirous and I think once someone’s there, life is better, fuller, happier. But I also think that the underlying theme of becoming this real person is the hardest thing a person ever has to do – become humble. The idea of humility seems possible, doable, something that especially us Christians eagerly seek for; but that is not the reality of true humility, at least not for me. It is an extremely scary thing to be open and honest about self. Of course, the result would be (or should be) more glory to God – in our weakness, He is strong.

It is good that we discussed the basic principles for acceptance of self and the discovery of person. You say, “To be truly personal is to acquire liberty.” I state it a little differently – “Honesty breeds freedom.” Humility is basically being honest with your self, with God, with others. It is only through Christ that someone can be free, though, and God wants this for us. And as it is the Spirit of God who opens others’ hearts to know Him, so He opens my heart as well.

To love as I have been loved. To give grace as I have been shown grace. This is a hard concept. But “truth without grace kills. It is only truth with grace that builds.” Grace is what all humans need. So God has been enlightening me with how I work out my own faith, how others would perceive it being worked out, and how I can work it out to best show (or only show) the love and grace of Jesus Christ.