Several years ago I knew a guy that was much further along in his walk with God than I was.  I knew this because he lived the way he spoke, and he spoke in a reflection of God’s word, and I did not.  It was a joy to get to know him.  We didn’t have a deep friendship, but we would share our faith from time to time and have conversation about God, faith, and life.

One particular day, I was near the end of my rope.  I was 29 years old and had taken on more than I could handle.  The business venture I had strolled into was bigger than me… and I was doing all I could to stay ahead of the game.  This particular day… I was done.

My friend stopped by my office , looked at me in the eye,  and simply asked, “how are you doing today?”  But it wasn’t one of the superficial questions we ask when we really don’t want to know.  He was sincere.  He actually wanted to know how I was doing!  It was as if he sensed that things were not going well at this time.  I glanced away and said…”I’m good”.  Without hesitation, he moved to catch my eyes, locked in on me, smiled and said, “It’s going to be alright.”  Then he was silent, but warmly smiled and continued to stare.

He was staring straight into me.  Looking past the veneer, past the bull crap, and past the insincere response.  Without another word being spoken… we had a conversation.  It was at that moment that I realized how transparent I really was.

I could not go through an exchange like that without always being aware how people can see right through me.  We humans have this unspoken secret agreement among us that we won’t acknowledge our transparency as long as we don’t acknowledge the transparency of others.  So we walk through life thinking that no one really knows what’s going on inside.  But let’s face it… we know don’t we.

In the Bible, Jesus Christ explains to His disciples how to tell whether or not someone is of God or of evil.  He helps them understand that a man’s mouth can manufacture all sorts of diversions to the truth… but no one can hide their actions.  Christ teaches you and me to examine the fruit of our lives to determine whether or not we are following God or following evil.  He also teaches us to take a look at the fruit of the lives around us so we can make the same determination.

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, quacks like a duck… it’s a duck.

Let me help you with a little piece of reality… you aren’t fooling anyone.  You are transparent.  If you are cheating on her, hitting her, cussing him, lying, stealing, trying to keep up with the Jones’, pretending to be a Christian… you’re not getting away with it, because your fruits are stinking up the place.  Most people can see right through your disguise.

I understand if you feel that you’ve done an excellent job at covering your tracks.  And I can completely relate to you if you are convinced that no one knows you beneath the surface… that’s fine… good job.  But you cannot keep secret all things that are known to God.  The idea is not to live your life to be pleasing in the sight of men… but to be pleasing in God’s sight.  Don’t waste your breath on convincing people you are Godly when you don’t believe it.

I’ll never forget the feeling of being phony, found out, and as obvious as I did when my friend looked into my soul and said… “It’s going to be alright.”  No condemnation, no accusation, just empathy from a man who has had his own knocks in life.  I felt the Holy Spirit shut my mouth in that moment and allow Him to use the words of my friend to penetrate my life.

So I ask you… how are you today?

Let’s agree to look past our transparencies and get real.  Let’s lay the cards on the table and be the kind of guy that Jesus taught us to be.  Certain… but compassionate.  To Love, Live, and Laugh.

Today…have life and have it abundantly… don’t live in the shadows hoping no one can see you for who you really are.  That is a wasted effort… you’re transparent – we know you. May God reveal himself to you through the lives and friends of those around you.  May we each be the light that shines through the glass walls we’ve built to show the true nature of God.

oh and…Hey buddy… “It’s going to be alright.”