So then, putting away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor, for we are members of one another.

Ephesians 4:25

It’s a good choice for the word of the year. “Authentic”. According to Merrian Webster, this is the word that best sums up what mattered most to people in 2023. This is the quality people were searching for.

I wonder, did they find it?

Our world has a big problem being authentic. Political rhetoric has never been this divisive and misleading, has it? We’re bombarded with clickbait headlines making dubious claims. With the rise of A.I., we can no longer trust our own eyes when we look at a photograph. And churches? Well, lots of folks see churches as nothing more than houses of hypocrites. (And they aren’t necessarily wrong.)

Actually, this is nothing new. The word of the year in 2006? “Truthiness”. Remember that? Yes indeed, the struggle for authenticity has been going on since the serpent deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Who can you trust? Well, this is a devotion, so you already know the answer. If you’re reading this I probably don’t have to convince you that God is trustworthy, that Jesus is authentic. When the world fails us, we can turn to God. That’s true. Be sure to do that. Yes, but…

The more interesting question is: How authentic are you?

Do you live your life in a way that is “not false or imitation”? Are you being “true to [your] own personality, spirit, or character?” If we are so desperate to find authenticity in our world, shouldn’t we make sure we are practicing it ourselves?

I’m not always good at this. I can’t say I’m always true to myself. Like Paul, I find myself doing the very things I say I don’t want to be doing. I don’t always acknowledge my deepest fears and emotions. I resist the promptings and yearnings of the Holy Spirit as they enter my heart.

And that’s just the internal stuff. I KNOW I’m not always authentic with the people around me. As a pastor I find myself biting my tongue about my doubts. In my interactions, even with friends, I can project a persona that is really only a mask of who I really am. Because I question other people’s authenticity, I withhold my own.

“So then, putting away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor, for we are members of one another.” Wise words from Ephesians. What would it take to be able to live like that? Not just with your closest family members, but your actual neighbors? Coworkers? Friends?

I’m not talking about truthiness–not regurgitating someone else’s talking points or sharing memes that tell slanted truths at best. I’m not even talking about a competition for who is the most right. I’m talking about the kind of truth that comes from deliberate discernment, personal honesty, and a vulnerability to live as you believe. It can be risky, but also a path to liberation.

For Christians, being authentic really does come back to how we live our lives as a reflection of Christ. We believe that leaning into our relationship with God brings us closer to the real people we were created to be.

It takes guts to be authentic in such an inauthentic world. I can’t say I can always summon the courage to simply be 100% “me”. But, as a form of protest against the craziness whirling around me, I’m willing to try. How about you? We can be authentic together and try to build upon that.

Don’t let “authentic” be just another word…

Be the definition of it.

Have a great week,

Mitch