Last week I was prompted by, what I'd like to say was the Spirit but, was probably more just a weird Facebook post, to call one of our young adults and check in. Turns out my dear friend and sister was having a rough day after a succession of rough months.
After a few moments of silence, her tear-filled hiccups the only thing coming over the phone, she said to me "Katie ... if I'm honest, I just want to ask God what He's doing with my life cause this sucks!"
In that moment I, oddly, wanted to cheer. Dont worry Internet, I didn't cheer, that would have been awkward. But if we had been together she would have seen my huge smile and sigh of relief as we took one step forward together.
Those three words, "If I'm honest..." make my day every time they're uttered.
Because if we're honest, community happens. If we're honest, we give others permission to be honest. If we're honest, we learn from each other honestly. If we're honest, we can honestly be there for one another.
If we're honest, life sometimes sucks. If we're honest, sometime we don't understand what He's doing and if we pretend like we get it or we're cool with it, we just put on a face and not only do we keep others from really loving us in that place but maybe we keep them from helping us see what God is doing when we cant.
The reality is, I was so excited to hear her 'be honest' because it meant she wasnt learning from me! Only hours before a friend had, rightfully and lovingly, corrected me in the place where I was not being honest with those I was leading, but instead pretending that it didnt sometimes suck and that I didnt need help.
And so as I heard those three words over the phone "If I'm honest..." I wanted to cheer but instead I just said, "I know, it sucks. And I've been there before."
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