I'd be willing to say that everyone prefers authenticity over spuriousness. You want authentic friendships. You want an authentic lifestyle. In our pursuit of authenticity, we may go the wrong direction though, likely without meaning to. Like a child imitating their parents, we will imitate the things we see in those we want to be like—or the things we think others want us to be like.
Imitating the world leads us further from authenticity, but imitating Jesus Christ leads us closer to authenticity. How can this be? If you imitate your best friend, that doesn't lead you closer to authenticity. If you imitate your parents, that doesn't either. So why do we become more authentic when imitating Christ? Well, it's because we're made in His image! As Scripture says in Genesis 1:27, "so God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
It's not imitation itself that makes us authentic, but rather imitating Christ means that we are living the way that God intended us to live. We're not alone in this pursuit either, and it's not all up to you to "accomplish" it.
Imitating the world leads us further from authenticity, but imitating Jesus Christ leads us closer to authenticity. How can this be? If you imitate your best friend, that doesn't lead you closer to authenticity. If you imitate your parents, that doesn't either. So why do we become more authentic when imitating Christ? Well, it's because we're made in His image! As Scripture says in Genesis 1:27, "so God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
It's not imitation itself that makes us authentic, but rather imitating Christ means that we are living the way that God intended us to live. We're not alone in this pursuit either, and it's not all up to you to "accomplish" it.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2 NLT
Let God transform you. It's He who does the transformation in you. All you need to do is give Him invitation.
I'll leave you with this: you are fully considered in God's will: His desires, intentions, plans, and thoughts. Remember, His will is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Let God transform you. It's He who does the transformation in you. All you need to do is give Him invitation.
I'll leave you with this: you are fully considered in God's will: His desires, intentions, plans, and thoughts. Remember, His will is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Jacob Brokaw
jacobbrokaw.com
jacobbrokaw.com