Vulnerability

Confronted with pictures of classrooms, I realized that kids are vulnerable, impressionable, trusting, and often the happiest they will ever be. Soon they will grow up and learn, becoming smart and watchful for others trying to screw them over. No longer simple and naïve, which is the point, the goal. And as grown-ups they will spend most of their time trying to find the joy again in life. Something very important disappears from them, something that allows them to experience the childlike glee of living. What is it?

I begin to think that vulnerability is the key. It’s also a very dangerous state of being. To be vulnerable means someone can hurt you, but only because you open up your heart to feel; to actually feel the joy of living. But as a life-hardened adult, you wonder if the danger is worth it. Or you don’t even entertain the thought. Avoid pain – duh. And even if your brain does decide that it’s worth it, your heart may go on strike regardless. Becoming vulnerable again is possibly the hardest thing. It’s totally counter-intuitive for an adult, and yet utterly necessary to live fully.

So the question becomes, where is a safe place/situation to be vulnerable? Because wandering around completely vulnerable is plain stupid. There are humans out there after all. So where and when is it good? I only know of only a few places that vulnerability is advised and even called for, the primary one being within a relationship with God. Which sounds crazy, till you experience it. And once you do, it’s still hard to return. It is the hardest part of being a Christian. It is also the best part and the whole point of being a Christian. The definition of a Christian is one who follows Christ; one who lives in a close enough relationship to Christ to know His leading and be trusting enough to agree and follow it. The key to this is childlike vulnerability towards God.

Hence the worldly wisdom does not understand Christianity and considers it foolishness and stupid. Other religions differ from Christianity in that there is something to do or achieve. The adult says, aha, I can do this. Christianity says give up and just trust God to take care of you. Trust, and be vulnerable. And it’s the hardest thing to do. And it sounds stupid. But is it? Is it foolish to live with your heart truly alive and receiving the joy of a child?