Being vulnerable is scary. Whether it's being emotionally vulnerable or physically vulnerable, there's something to be said for the person who can embrace vulnerability with confidence.

When Adam and Eve were first created in the Garden of Eden, "They were both naked, and they felt no shame" (Genesis 2:25). The act of being physically vulnerable to a spouse is the ultimate test of trust. In the instance of Adam and Eve, they were vulnerable and naked not only to each other, but to God. When we choose to become "naked," we allow ourselves to have a purer and more intimate relationship with both our loved ones and God.

After Eve ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, she and Adam realized their nakedness, and they became aware of their vulnerability. In that moment of recognizing they were naked, they lost part of the purity that comes with being completely vulnerable to someone. After making coverings for themselves out of fig leaves (Genesis 3:7), they also realized that they had distanced themselves from God. In the moment of covering their nakedness, Adam and Eve lost a part of their intimacy with both each other and God.

The hardest thing we can do is be real... being real and open and vulnerable and "naked" is completely terrifying, but it's also incredibly rewarding. Vulnerability shows the world that we're not afraid of who we are. Social media makes it stupidly easy to only portray the good parts of ourselves to the world-- Social media is the fig leaf covering of the 21st century. So what happens when we strip away the mask of social media? We see the bad times with the good. We see the under-eye bags that can be covered with an Instagram or Snapchat filter. We see each other for who we really are.

"How is vulnerability rewarding" you might ask? It can open doors that we couldn't see behind the fig leaves. Those doors can lead to relationships and friendships and opportunities that never would have been possible had we been hiding behind our fig leaves. Vulnerability leads to trust and compassion and understanding that can only come from being "naked" in front of someone. Yes, it's terrifying. Being naked (literally and metaphorically) is the most revealing thing we can do. But it lets those around us see us as people, not as social media accounts.

So when you aren't sure what approach you should take to a situation, be bold. Take a risk, take a leap of faith, and be naked. You never know what secret garden is hiding behind the fig-leaf covered door. It might be the best decision of you life, but you'll never know unless you get naked.