Friday Five: Vulnerability

Sally over at Rev Gals offers this: I hope that folk will take this in the spirit with which it is offered; that of continuing prayer and concern tempered by the knowledge that we are called both to weep and to rejoice with our communities.

I have recently been reading a book entitled Jesus wept, it is all about vulnerability in leadership. The authors speak of how Jesus shared his earthly frustrations and vulnerabilities with a select group of people. To some he was the charismatic leader and teacher, to others words of wisdom were opened and explained and some frustrations shared, to his "inner circle of friends: Peter, James and John, he was most fully himself, and in all of these things he was open to God.

So I bring you this weeks Friday 5:

1. Is vulnerability something that comes easily to you, or are you a private person?
For better or worse, as I've grown older, I've become less vulnerable. I still seek to live and relate to all with authenticity and transparency, but I'm more careful as I age. I think it is a life-long process to learn, especially when one is in such a public position, how much to share, and how much to protect.

2.How important is it to keep up a professional persona in work/ ministry?
I'm still trying to figure this one out.

3. Masks, a form of self protection discuss...
Masks make me think of phony-ness - something I've been unable to tolerate for as long as I can remember. However, I've been known to put on a grin and bear it in certain situations. I suppose that is a mask.

4. Who knows you warts and all?
My spouse and children, my brother, a few dear dear friends.

5. Share a book, a prayer, a piece of music, a poem or a person that touches the deep place in your soul, and calls you to be who you are most authentically.
Someone else posted a lovely video of the hymn "I will come to you in the silence" I would echo that one.
And today as I was hiking, the song Fragile by Nanci Griffith shuffled into my playlist ... Fragile as the Lady in the Harbor ... Fragile as the torch that glows ... fragile as the gulf stream water to the Texas coast ... sail you home.
For some reason that touched my soul in the wake of all the hard rhetoric we've heard this week ... Nanci's sweet voice nearly always connects to a deep place inside of me.