Getting real

Five of us sat around tonight talking.  We talked about this, we talked about that, we talked church, we talked life, we just talked.  The margarita's helped a little but truthfully it doesn't take much to get this group chatting.  Well, four of the group.  I tend to sit on the sidelines and interject occasionally...there's always one in the crowd, right?

One of the five was new to the group.  At one point one looked over and said to her "Sorry, we probably sound really awful right now."  To which the response was "Are you kidding, Christians being real?!" which implied that it was refreshing to hear four Christian women just tell it like they see it.  Which reminded me why I like hanging out with these particular women, they aren't afraid to be real. 

Real in the sense that we can say what is on our hearts and we aren't judged.  Real in the sense that if one shares a struggle, the rest of us don't doubt that she is still a Christian.  Real in the sense that when one of us lets loose with some "unholy" language there is no harsh intake of breath like she has just committed a mortal sin.  I could keep going but I think you get it.

Our conversation tonight is what I find missing in most Christian circles, and to be perfectly honest, is what a lot of younger people are feeling is missing from churches.  I'm not sure it's a new phenomenon, maybe the conversations have just changed a little, gotten a little grittier.  Still the sentiment is there, we want church to be a place where we can be real and still find acceptance and love.  I even saw it in the youth group setting.  When we combined the high school and young adult group for the summer, the conversations got grittier, things were said that were more authentic, less covered with the constant thought (on my part) that I would have to answer to their parents if we went too far in the conversation.  After one such conversation, S looked at her friend and said "I like grown-up youth group."  Christians being real...it's appealing.

I sat around a living room tonight with four other Christian women being real...it was good.