⁴ But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. ⁵ For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness – God is witness. ⁶ Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made as demands as apostles of Christ. ⁷ But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. ⁸ So affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

1 Thessalonians 2:4-8 [NKJV]

Alright, for today’s daily bread entry, we are going to go back to 2017 when I first began this whole journey. Now, though a major portion of the reason why I started this journal entries then was because I wanted to understand how to be a Christian in my day-to-day life, similar to how Jesus was able to be the living word of God. There is also another reason and purpose for why I started all of this. It is both part spiritual but also personal development related. I was determined to change myself for the better at that time in my life. I had been living a kind of life where I was constantly acting differently, pretending and putting on different fronts in front of different people that I meet/interact with. I would often say and do different things depending the circumstances and the people that I find myself with. I suppose you could say that I was never really a very genuine or authentic person. When I first began this journey back in 2017, I was also experiencing an identity crisis. I had spent so many years of my life pretending to be someone that I’m not that when it all finally came crashing down, and I had no more masks I could wear, I began to ask myself the question, “Who am I really?” And for the next couple of years, that was what I set out to discover. It is safe for me to say now that I did rediscover who I am (long before I started acting and pretend differently in front of different people).

My Journey Towards Greater Authenticity

So that is how I started my own journey towards greater authenticity. I was finally able to accept that I could never make everybody happy, and I could never get everyone to like me, or accept me for who I am. No matter how hard I try, I know that there will always be people who will not like me, or approve of me. It was in that final acceptance that I truly began to embrace myself for who I am, and also who I could be (a potentially better version of myself).

For the last couple of years, this journey rediscovering who I am, and then trying to live authentically hasn’t been easy or smooth. Sure, there were periods where I was successful in acting and presenting a truly authentic version of who I am. But there were also moments where I would experience the temptation to say/do something that I thought others might approve. And yes, in some of those moments when I felt really weak in resisting those temptations, I did end up giving in and saying/doing things that were not authentic/genuine.

Ever since I started re-committing myself to this daily bread lifestyle again, I have been making a return to what I have been working towards for the last few years. My goal now, every single day, is to do my very best to remain genuine and authentic, no matter who I might be interacting with, or who I’m around (and yes, even when I am in private like right now).

The Easiest Way to Get Others to Listen to Our Message

That then leads us to this topic today. As believers and Christians, we always thought that our goal is to always be spreading the message (i.e. the word of God). Now, while that is also true, I believe that to be effective Christians in real life actually means a lot more than just constantly trying to share the message with people. Before we can get others to really listen, or be receptive to the message that we hope to share with them, we have to first speak and act genuinely and authentically with them.

Again, I want to take a moment to remind you that the whole reason/purpose I began this whole series is so that I could learn how to behave and live my life everyday as a Christian would. Before I even get to sharing the message, or even recite passage and verse, I hope to be able to demonstrate what it means to be a Christian by how I live my life. And when people see a living example of what it means to be a Christian, then comes the potential opportunity to share the good news/message.

By being genuine, authentic, and treating others the same way that Jesus Christ has treated us, the kindness and compassion, the love, the patience. By acting and demonstrating with authenticity, all the goodness of who God is in our lives, that is the thing that will impact others and open up their hearts to being receptive to the good news.

Personal Prayer for Today

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for speaking to me through Your word today. Thank You for reminding me that how we act, and what we say, and the kind of intentions we carry in our hearts matter more than the message itself. Thank You for also reminding me of why I started this whole lifestyle back in 2017.

Thank You Lord for the experiences and lessons that You have given me in the past few years. For helping me to recognize that the best way to get people to be receptive to the message, is by first treating them with authenticity and by being genuine in how we act towards them.

Today, I come before You, willing and humble to once again re-commit myself to living a more genuine and authentic life on a daily basis. I know and understand that before I can even preach a single word of Your word, I have to first demonstrate and show others who You are through my own daily living.

I know that there are going to be days when I feel good, and other days when I feel weaker and it becomes harder to live genuinely and authentically. I pray that You will grant me the strength and grace on those days when I feel weaker.

I vow to give Your all of my praises and all the glory that You deserve. In Jesus’ name that I pray.

Amen.