faith, hope, love

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"Sometimes people put up walls not to keep others out, but to see who cares enough to tear them down."

In my room there is a large dresser in front of the door; as close as it can be without blocking the open door. My room, though a different paint colour and having different accents, has still the same set up as when I was a little girl. When I was young and got upset I would race to my room, close the door and sit with my feet pressed against the base of the dresser and back against the door. When my mom or dad would try to come in to talk to me, I acted as a barricade using my entire bodily strength to trap myself in my room. Though I loved and trusted them, I blocked them out.

Though I don't resort to that any longer, it reminds me of walls, barriers and obstacles that we sometimes put up to keep others from getting to us. We often claim it's to protect ourselves, but a lot of the time we're just forcing ourselves into solitude - perhaps not physically, but emotionally. So even though I do think it's important to guard your heart, it's also very important to allow those who you love and trust to break down your walls and become transparent to them.

This is even a Christian principle: being transparent with fellow believers.

Joshua 7:19 - Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me."

There are many more verses in the Bible that refer to the subject of 'hiding' from one another. It is spoken about as being dishonest.

I am naturally a private person. There are many things about me that only family knows. So I am also speaking to myself when I say all of this. We need to encourage each other together to share in our hurts, our 'secrets', and the things we're just plain embarrassed or too ashamed to speak of.

Think on that. But I guarantee as your walls [and mine] come down, we'll live more fulfilling lives.