What comes to mind when you think of the word “vulnerability?”  It’s usually not a word that we want to characterize our lives.  Brene Brown in Daring Greatly reveals how the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead.  She describes vulnerability as “. . . uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure” (p. 34).  She draws a comparison of her description of vulnerability with that of love and shows how love is uncertain, risky, and leaves us emotionally exposed; yet we could not imagine our lives without love.  So it is with vulnerability – vulnerability enables us to experience what she describes as wholehearted living.

She points out a number of reasons why we are reluctant to demonstrate vulnerability in our lives.  She observes, “The greatest casualties of a scarcity culture are our willingness to own our vulnerabilities and our ability to engage with the world from a place of worthiness” (p. 29).  Many people attempt to find their self-worth from their performance and if they are successful, they derive their self-worth from what people think of their performance.  “You’re officially a prisoner of ‘pleasing, performing, and perfecting'” (p. 64).

The word persona comes from the Latin word which refers to a mask.  People often wear masks to protect themselves from the discomfort of vulnerability.  The problem with wearing a mask however, is that we are never truly known – we are disconnected from one another.  This creates a paradox, “Vulnerability is the last thing I want you to see in me, but the first thing I look for in you” (p. 113).

When you realize the importance of demonstrating vulnerability it affects all areas of your life.  For example, she notes the implications for parenting,

Who we are and how we engage the with the world are much stronger predictors of how our children will do than what we know about parenting.  In terms of teaching our children to dare greatly in the “never enough” culture, the question isn’t so much, “Are you parenting the right way?” as it is, “Are you the adult that you want your child to grow up to be?”  (p. 214)

This can be a freeing concept for life is not lived by finding and adhering to the right formula but rather likeness to Jesus.  That’s why the Apostle Paul could take off his mask of religiosity and submit himself to being transformed into the image of Christ,

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.  (2 Corinthians 3:18)

May you dare greatly to live a life of vulnerability and authenticity for His glory!

Dr. Rick Higgins

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Follow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5