My reflection today continues from Fresh Bread:
“ Being vulnerable does not mean being weak and allowing anyone or anything to hurt us. It is actually a great inner strength which comes from freely choosing to be open to being wounded because we are open to loving in the manner in which Jesus loved. To be vulnerable in this way is to freely choose:
–to be open to the other, no matter who that other is
-to stand firmly on our convictions amid controversy
-to risk our voice or actions even though there’s a possibility of being misunderstood, rejected, thwarted or even condemned
-to share our faith even though we may be questioned or ignored, laughed at or thought to be stupid
-to risk failure in order to discover and use our giftedness and potential
-to love and to continue loving even when there is no positive response from the one being loved.
Most importantly to be vulnerable is to know the paradoxical power in surrendering ourselves to God. It is to allow the power of God’s spirit to take over and to move through our being. It is to know that by ourselves we can do nothing, but with a surrendered heart we can do all things through the one who gives us strength. With a surrendered heart, we can have the power in us to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. We can easily forget this gift of power and try to shield ourselves from any possible hurt, pain, question, doubt, heartache, risk, any of the tough stuff of life.” – Joyce Rupp
 God is calling us to be vulnerable, to be like the trees in Autumn.
It is not an easy task. Jesus did not call the faint of heart.
With Jesus’ love and support we can do anything!
