Being Yourself For The Sake of The Gospel

I get embarrassed a lot.

Let me rephrase that: I embarrass the people around me a lot. Yesterday I was on an airport train with 6 of my co-workers. I was exhausted to the point of slap happy.

First off, who is totally themselves around their co-workers? Picture your cubicle-buddy. There’s some law in corporate handbooks that states you need to whittle down your personality to that of a wet towel. Small talk encouraged. Anything about personal life or true feelings bury in a graveyard called 401-K. And for goodness sake, be polite.  This is work. And at work we be the bland, baby food version of ourselves.

Such is the case for me some of the time. But on the train I’m tired. Worn out from traveling, missing home, and ornery. I’m laughing loud at a co-workers jokes and being childish around 40 other people in suits and brief cases and cracking somewhat off colored jokes.

The reality here, is that is really me. I’m a pastor because I care about people a whole lot, and I love, love Jesus. But that’s me. I’m absolutely loud. I love making people laugh. Probably, I love making me laugh even more. If other people laugh, it’s a bonus. But really, I think I’m funny. And for that I may be slightly arrogant. I have more opinions than actual facts about the things I’m pontificating. I’m high strung. I’m an ENFJ. I like South Park. I really, really like Eminem. And cheese. I can be annoying. And, (ahem) crass.

But that’s the true me.

I used to think that to be in ministry I needed to be like the folks I saw on TV or all the pastors I had seen in my life, or all the authors I had read. Wise, self-controlled, calm, power-house men and women. I’m a fairly good actress so I knew I could pull this image off. But, really. That’s not me.

The other week I met with a 20something from my ministry who had gotten saved on Easter Sunday. As she recounted what she was thinking and feeling about the whole ordeal she was so earnest, honest, and… herself. And I was eating it up. It was refreshing to be around her. It was ministering to me to hear her be her. I walked away energized.

I love authentic people. My guess is that it’s not just me. It’s a human thing. Humans love the authentic. And they can smell the stench of fake and facade.

Which leads me to my next point. I started to realize over the coming weeks that being yourself wasn’t just a good thing to do. It is an absolute necessity for your life to showcase the gospel.

I may not be a refined power-house of a preacher. In fact, at this point I’m probably more in that make-a-mistake-and-laugh phase than I am the wise phase. I am, however, me. Quirky. Fun. Engaging. Caring. And slightly self-depricating. And I care an awful lot about God and His word.

The truth is, people like, and are energized by that. And hopefully, it smells of the gospel, and of a God who is creative, saving, and involved.

So what about you? Are you yourself at work? Or are you more watered-down? Do people get a chance to know you? Or do they just see a suit when they meet you. A clean cubicle. A polite weather comment?

What about with your friends?

What about at your (be honest now) church?

Do you be yourself? Or do you breeze past people with a giant smile and can-do attitude of falsity that surely screams: God is good! And Life is the Cleavers!

I’m not saying bawl your eyes out over your financial woes with everyone you meet. I’m not saying you need to be overly engaged or pretentious about being “real”. That’s not the point, and is just another form of religiousness anyway.

What I am saying is people love the authentic.

I’m also saying that we live in a world that desperately needs the authentic. It’s seen so many knock-offs and has met the celebrity cookie-cutters. It grows tired of the late-night-talk-show answers that are pre-thought out. The drab, repetitive blogs. The 1,000th Christian Inspiration Book about being more awesome. It’s Brave New Worldish. And people are tired of buying it.

For the believer, authentic is the newest commandment.  Why? Being yourself is the gateway to sharing the gospel.

Here’s a couple questions I thought of today. Do yourself a favor and answer them. Love yourself enough to be candid:

1. Who are you?

What are the things that for better or worse, make you – you. The things you know are inherent from birth. The smudge-marks and paint stokes of your Creator?

1. Where do you muffle yourself for the sake of blending in?

The question isn’t do you muffle yourself. The question is where. What you’re muffling is your own business, and I’m guessing God is speaking to you right now about what that is. After you identify the where, maybe start making some decisions about how you want to change that.

1. What’s your story with Jesus?

People are drawn to Jesus for the same reason you were. He’s real. Saving. Refreshingly simple and true. Reflect on your first meeting with your Savior. What did you think? Feel? Know? My guess is, that since then, you have changed, altered and muffled this story in some way to make it sound more… Christian. I would urge you to return to the authentic pieces. And if and when someone asks you what it is that is so refreshing about you…

You’ll be able to give an honest answer.

Until Next Time,