Refreshing Authenticity 7-27-10

“These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1Pet. 1:7


Throughout the 4 gospel accounts, we see Jesus model a perspicacious life of transparent authenticity. ~~And there’s not much that is more refreshing and endearing than a person who is secure enough in knowing he/she is cherished by God, that he/she lives with a spirit of winsome openness void of guile. Know people like this? They’re magnetic! And one just feels “good” being near them…probably because a person like this is not characterized by ‘living to impress others’, but by ‘living to make a loving impact in lives around them’.

 

Hearts are drawn to transparent authenticity. ~~When we live to impress others, we may “wow” them and win them over to “our power team”, but we won’t make friends. As the saying goes, “to have a friend, one must be a friend.” And generally speaking, true friendship necessitates transparent sharing of lives … the transparency of a child. (“Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to Me, don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God.” Lk. 18:16-17)

 

Think for a minute about someone in your life that is refreshing to your soul…perhaps someone who is perhaps going through a tough challenge of some sort. Someone who, rather than becoming bitter and bemoaning their present circumstances, is living out his/her challenge in transparent honesty before others with child-like faith. Got this person in mind? What draws you to him or her?

 

For us, we believe that we humans are a whole lot more alike than we are different, and it is refreshingly restorative and inspirational to witness how another soul deals with the highs and lows of this life as he/she lives authentically before us…Jesus Himself being our finest example (check out the gospel accounts). ~~And through His example, God now exhorts us:

• “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” Jn. 13:15
• “Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are His dear children.” Eph. 5:1
• “This suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ, who suffered for you, is your  example. Follow in His steps.” 1Pet. 2:21

Life is hard! And no one gets a hall pass… (1 Thess. 3:2b-3). So if you are presently experiencing a difficult “desert place“, God is with you as He was with His people in the desert of Egypt. Be encouraged and remember “…the Lord your God leads you all the way in the desert…to humble you and to test you in order to know what is in your heart, whether or not you will keep His commands. He humbles you, causing you to hunger and then feeds you with manna…to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord….For these trials are only to test you faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold…and your faith if far more precious to God than mere gold.” Deut. 8:2-3 and 1Pet. 1:7

 

With child-like faith, let’s determine to live out the highs and lows of this life as Paul did with the Thessalonians, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well.” 1 Thess. 2:8

 

Much love,

Shaun and Betsy