What happens in foxhole...
What happens in foxhole... stays in foxhole. This over-used adaptation of an old advert encouraging tourists to come to Las Vegas came to mind as I met with my foxhole recently. The reason? In order to be transparent, I have to have a trust level that assumes my brothers will treat any sensitive issues we discuss with respect and confidentiality. Now obviously, we apply some common sense. If someone was talking about doing harm to themselves or another, we'd address that appropriately. But in general, my foxhole is a place to share without shame or judgment.
We could do worse today than to spend some time meditating on Convoy's mission and values: https://www.convoynwa.org/about/. But I will focus on this one.
Courage: We believe God will lead men to remove their masks and be vulnerable and transparent with other men.
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. -Colossians 3:9-10
In my foxhole this past week, we caught up with one another after a few weeks of various ones of us traveling and participating in life events of our families (an upcoming move, a business trip, a vacation, a birth, a death, and a couple of hard situations). We did that under the backdrop of these two scriptures, which two separate men brought to the group.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. -2 Corinthians 5:21
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. -Colossians 2:2-3
And we were real. Woven into the 90-minute conversation on the events listed above was discussion of the application of these scriptures in those situations and prayers asking for wisdom and courage as we walk through those things in a way that honors God and allows us to experience victory in Him. It was a good day....
Hey, our conversations are not always pretty. Sometimes they're awkward. Often, there are more questions than answers. There are some things we talk about that our wives wouldn't understand or fully appreciate. There is almost always some humor, some of which is better shared among "just the guys". But it's a safe place to explore ideas and listen to objective feedback from a godly perspective. I always leave encouraged. So I keep on coming back. I hope your foxhole experiences are similar. If they aren't, it may be time to ask yourself why. What can you do to improve the situation? The thing about authenticity is someone has to make the first move.
Heads up, eyes open, men. Be a leader.