Fighting the Definition

“...we cannot endure too much nakedness any more than we can endure too much silence, which strips us naked.” (pg. 32).  So many things strip us naked in today’s world, so we tend to avoid them.  We run from the things that expose us and that prove our humanity.  It’s easier to cower behind our false reputations, our social expectations, and our need for affirmation.  The world has created its own sense of beauty, but in order to become beautiful in their definition, we must hide our true selves.  We must cover our nakedness because vulnerability is weakness. 

I, on the other hand, would beg to oppose this social norm.  Humanity, although corrupted, is God’s beautiful creation and it is good. Psalm 139: 14 says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Vulnerability can be scary or even painful, but it’s by no means something to hide.  Our emotions, opinions, and beliefs open the door to exposure, but what could be more beautiful than God’s creation in its rawest form?  Maybe it’s the scarcity of a genuine smile and an honest opinion that makes it so valuable.  I would argue that our nakedness is in fact the opposite of something we should hide.  Instead, we should let go of the masks that conceal it.