Meet Mr. and Mrs. Everything's Fine. They're dedicated to ministering to people and everyone respects them, but many feel uncomfortable around them.

They always speak in glowing terms about their marriage and the joys of parenthood. They have a Bible verse for every situation. One of their friends said, "When I'm around them, I don't feel free to say how I really feel. When I do, they just tell me to 'trust God.'"

Now consider the apostle Paul. Instead of pretending that everything was always okay, he was transparent about his own struggles. This made people feel safe to open up to him. Listen to his honesty: "Our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears" (2 Cor. 7:5).

Sharing those painful experiences and raw emotions enabled Paul to give this sincere testimony: "Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus" (v.6).

But how can greater honesty and transparency make us more effective in our ministry to others? If people see how Christ meets our needs when we're struggling, they will be more willing to trust Him themselves. And what greater ministry could we have than this?  — Joanie Yoder