angelaschmeling

Have you ever come across someone who you just knew they weren’t being completely forthcoming? They weren’t being truthful, but were putting on an act?

My girls and I were watching a movie called Home Sweet Home the other day. A cute movie, though rather cheesy, and this thought kept catching me. The movie is about a girl who, in an effort to catch a guys eye, she pretends to be a Christian and joins this charity group that builds houses for people in need.

To fit in and to be who they thought she was (and to get this guy), she does what any person nowadays does. She went straight to Google.

Side note, I have determined that some people have incredible googling capability and some people (like myself) never seem to get the right wording to find what I’m looking for immediately and it is massively frustrating. That’s a blog for anther time.

Anyway – continuing on, this girl then googles “how act like a Christian” and finds all the “Christianese” talk that people think makes you a Christian. You know, things like:

“Jesus Loves You”

“Amen!”

“Hallelujah!”

“Praise God!” or the infamous:

“God will never give you more than you can handle.”

She believes that if she knows these things, she can fake it till she makes it.

None of those sayings are bad things, that’s not what I’m saying, but I think that’s what a lot of people think Christianity is. Just knowing how to act. Knowing what to say. Now, Jesus does love you, but if you say it as a cliché, no one will see the authenticity behind and and will think you and your faith as not genuine.

I feel this is also where the church can be at times. Speaking in Christianese, but having no power behind the words because it’s not authentic. It’s not something that you truly believe. And others, believers and non-believers can see through it often.

Authenticity: not false or imitation. Real, actual. True to one’s own personality, spirit, or character. no pretense

Webster’s Dictionary

We need to be real in our faith. We need to be who God has called us to be. We need to be the light. If you don’t know how to be a true authentic Christian, start reading His word. The Bible will not lead you astray when you truly seek Him.

Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and might things which you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV

You need to speak truthfully and fill yourself with the truth (God’s Word!) and be authentic to who God has made you. People are craving truth. And if you don’t know the answer to something someone asks, that’s okay! Tell them honestly, you don’t know. My kids ask me questions all the time that bring about great discussions because we simply can’t know everything about God, because that would put us on equal standing and that is just not going to happen. That wouldn’t make Him God if we knew as much as He does! And people appreciate it when you speak with that honesty.

With everything that is going on in our world, people are craving authenticity. They yearn for something real. Don’t be fake. We are called to be ministers of that truth, whether you are on the pulpit or standing in line at the grocery store. As a Christian, we are called to be messengers.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Romans 10:14

The woman in the movie didn’t know what authentic Christianity was, but learned with the help of her newfound friends speaking to her as messengers of truth and by beginning to dig into the word of God for herself. Sorry Google was no help to her here!

We need to know the truth, not the Christianese. We need to be authentic in our faith as to show others who Christ is and the change He has made in us. Let’s be encouraging with truth and effective to those around us.