Authenticity. It is a quality of God in that God is. God is God’s self. In the Old Testament, Moses asks God what God’s name is, and the reply is, “I am who I am.” (Exodus 3:14) God cannot be anything other than God.
Jesus is also authentic. Jesus is both divine and human, which is a concept challenging to understand with the human mind, even if Christians embrace the truth of it. Jesus acts with both his humanity and divinity, sharing the good news of salvation and the transformative life available to us when we follow him. Jesus speaks directly and honestly to all he encounters. Jesus doesn’t lie or mislead, even when his followers don’t understand his teachings. Jesus knows his path leads to the cross and doesn’t veer from his mission on earth.
Authenticity in humanity is harder to find. My most recent way of describing an authentic life is one who aligns their thoughts, their words, and their actions. It has been a good working definition in my personal journey to authenticity. Authenticity is, of course, not a quality only available to Christians, nor is it a quality seen in all Christians. In this digital age where the world is at our fingertips, we can see that authenticity can get skewed to support one’s own biases. There are plenty of people who line up thoughts, words, and actions to manipulate, to dominate, or to spew hateful messages. So, my working definition seems to need a little adjustment.
In times where I need to double check my own assumptions, I turn to prayer and scripture. Prayer helps me to pour out my concerns to God, and scripture helps me hear God’s response to my heart.
Psalm 139 shares a similar sentiment, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Turning your thoughts, words, and actions over to the transformative power of Jesus Christ will continue to realign your life into that which is holy, loving, truth-filled, and gracious. It is the authenticity that isn’t just supportive of whatever you like, into that which God loves. This isn’t the first time humanity has struggled with the idea of an authentic life which glorifies God. Paul writes to the Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
In my own efforts to seek the authentic and abundant life found through Jesus Christ, I’ve found myself increasingly compassionate to the struggles of my fellow human beings in this earthly life.
I was thinking of someone I met recently who was, by all accounts, stubborn to the point of rigidity sometimes and direct to the point of harshness on occasion. This person was formed in life by a life shaped by the necessity of hard work for survival. I think the generation that went through the Great Depression remembers in their bones what life was like when they had to save, reuse, and make do with the limits of scarcity.
I have great compassion for those today who live on the edge where one medical emergency means they can’t pay for their heat. For those who struggle to find the right help in a mental health challenge, all one’s energy is put into survival. Authenticity can be a luxury when all efforts are thrown into getting enough resources to buy food for your family.
