Faith In the Reality of the Private Life

If Jesus isn’t real in me in my home, in those interactions nobody else sees, He’s real in me nowhere.

These words above are biblically real, but they’re also ever more relevant for a man; a husband and a father.

Not only is it true that there truly is only an audience of one, it’s also true that if I’m not Christlike in my private life — where any lack of love impacts my loved ones most — I’m not Christ’s disciple in my public life, in ministry for Him.  And this is not just about how I impact my loved ones directly; it’s also how I might potentially impact them in negative ways — if, for instance, I had a secret life that I was hiding.  I don’t, but the history of the Church is a litany of moral failures, and we all harbour things we’d prefer weren’t ever known.  Balance this with the fact God knows all.

Faith has to be a reality in our private life or it makes no sense.  We cannot sustain a façade, but I understand people seeking to do just that.  Fear drives it.  Wanting to keep up appearances to maintain a lie of a life.  But we would be fooling no one significant if the only significant witness were the Lord Himself.

But there is now another side to this realness of faith…

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A person, a man, a woman, anyone, when they’re real, as much as they can be honest, must acknowledge the providence of God in the brokenness of humanity.

The foundation of the real faith life is the fearless embracing of our brokenness in trusting a flawless God.  Brutal honesty equips disciples by courage for courage, by humility for humility, and by faith for faith.

As we live the realities of truth in our private lives, our courage bestows to us courage, and blessings pile up in our public ministries.

Now back to where I started; as a man after God: my faith is real or it’s fake, depending on how I treat my family.

Faith must commence from a core, and, because of our brokenness, our core is in the admission of our frailties.

Truth in the private life is as valuable for faith as gifting is in the public life.

© 2016 Steve Wickham.