A friend of mine, BJ Harris, wrote a phenomenal post today that you need to take the time to read and process. There’s so much of what he says that is my heartbeat for the community that will form at Eternity. Here’s an excerpt:

Wow. Well, it isn’t a secret anymore. But as much as I’d like to, I can’t judge him. And not because he’s my friend, but because I’ve been telling lies for 24 years myself…about a lot of different things. And if you don’t think you have, then you’re lying to yourself. But the better discussion is, “Why?”

Why can we not be real with the people around us when things are hard? Why can we not ask for help because we’re in fear of being judged? Is it only the fault of those who don’t ask? Or have we created a society where people are judged, only to turn around and be greeted by hypocrisy? After all, why risk? Sometimes I don’t blame people. Why not just “save face”?

What if, instead, we created safe places where people could be real with each other? And what if those in leadership were real with the people they lead? If authenticity breeds authenticity, (and I believe it does), then maybe folks like my friend wouldn’t feel the pressure to show up in public, every day of his life, force another fake smile across his face and pretend to have it all together. Because let’s face it…”faking it” destroyed his family and everyone got hurt.

The reality is, none of us really have it all together. Let’s be honest about the true mess we all find ourselves in, embrace the pain and suffering, allow it to belong, and get through it. Only through true community, authentic relationships, and God’s radical grace expressed through His followers, will that ever be possible.