Go Ahead and Let Them See You Sweat!

I remember the statement as part of an advertising campaign for an underarm antiperspirant. Very smart people sat in a room together brainstorming ways to sell me something that would help me cover up the body's natural physiological response to stress. I am certain they came up with this advertising campaign slogan because they knew something about human nature. 

We all sweat.

Somehow, their underarm antiperspirant would stop me from sweating. Antiperspirant would convince others I was not sweating therefore projecting the illusion that I am cool, calm and collected under pressure. Their product would give me an edge over other people who sweat giving me the confident assurance I needed to be successful.

 

Underarm antiperspirant would make me successful? Really?

 

I was taught that blood, sweat and tears would make me successful. Hard work, long hours and sacrifice would catapult me into success if I did the right thing, performed perfectly and sacrificed consistently. Evidently, I was supposed to do all this and never let anyone see me sweat in the process. Neither the ad slogan nor the belief system work for me.

 

Maybe there is another way.

 

As a Christ follower, I take my leadership queues from Jesus. He allowed his followers to see everything firsthand: eat, drink, walk, talk, stand, sit, teach. The twelve disciples followed Jesus' every move. Except the sweating part. From scripture, the disciples observed him from a distance sweating drops of blood. How clever. Now, I am included with other voyeurs in the Garden. I hide behind the olive trees alongside other disciples.  I, too, watch every move Jesus makes and the impression of Jesus sweating drops of blood can be seared in my heart forever.  

 

Jesus let a few disciples watch him sweat in private but allowed the public to watch him stumble and struggle all the way up the hill to Calvary. Scripture records it all for eternity.  Vulnerability can be uncomfortable, even unattractive, but it's authentic. I can trust someone who sweats under immense pressure. I can identify with someone who stumbles and struggles and isn't afraid to show it.  I can love someone who isn't afraid of blood, sweat and tears. But, I will follow and try to become like someone who reveals that this is success God's way.

 

Vulnerable. Authentic. Powerful. Savior. Jesus.