Fine

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Ephesians 4:15-16 (NIV) Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

What it is speaking to me

"How are you?"

"Fine."

I have said that word more times than I can count. Sometimes it was true, sometimes it wasn't. Sometimes it really means "I'm fine." Sometimes it means "I don't have the energy to explain what's actually going on." Sometimes it simply means "I don't know or trust you enough to tell you the real answer."

I doubt I'm the only person that has ever felt this way. Which means on any given Sunday, the church could have several "fine" people who are not fine. They walk in Sunday morning, exchange the word like a social password, and move on to the next conversation. Nobody's lying, exactly, just performing or going through the motions. Fine can slowly become less of an answer and more of a wall, a polite way to keep the door shut without seeming rude about it.

Paul says the body grows and builds itself up "as each part does its work," but that only happens through speaking the truth in love. Ligaments hold a body together, and ligaments only work when they're actually connected to something. A church full of "fine" is a church full of parts that look attached but aren't really joined to anything. We can stand in the same room every week and still be strangers, because strangers is exactly what "fine" keeps us.

Love speaks truth...not "fine".

What is it saying to you?

When was the last time you gave someone a real answer to "how are you?"

What would it cost you to be known instead of just seen?

Who in your life has earned the truth, and have you actually given it to them?

What are we going to do about it?

When someone asks how you are today, give them a real answer. Not a dump, not a performance, just the truth, spoken in love. Practice being known.