I appreciate the words of the Skin Horse in The Velveteen Rabbit: “Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”  This notion of “becoming real” is about the primacy of authenticity in the presentation of our ideas, intentions, and motivations. In short, authenticity involves presenting the genuine “YOU” with no barriers, no screens, no covers, and no disguises.  In our post-Christian thinking world, people want to see the heart, not a cover-up.

Part of the reason we live in such a toxic, skeptical world is because people often cloak their selfish agendas and real intentions.  While we see this practically everyday in the political arena (I’m not thinking of any particular political party, all of them do it!), it’s also seen repeatedly in business advertising, movies, television, music and professional sports.  Sadly, people–oftentimes those in some kind of power–want you to see what they want you to see, not what is really there.

Our English word “sincere” comes from the Latin sine (“without”) and cera (“wax”).  In ancient times, when a piece of pottery was made, sometimes the craftsman would use a kind of glazed wax to cover up imperfections and weak spots in the dish.  By not using wax (sincerity), pottery buyers knew that the piece before them was genuine, not something illegitimate.  In today’s world, post-Christian thinking people want to see and to feel authenticity.  They want to know that you say what you mean, and you mean what you say–no hidden agendas, no closed, smoke-filled back rooms, no private power plays–just reality.

Authenticity in the gospel means showing others our true selves, warts and all.  It means that while we live with great hope and purpose, we also experience seasons of disappointment, grief, turmoil, and suffering, much like Jesus, the “man of sorrows” experienced in his earthly life.  When we look at Jesus, we see complete reality–no curtains, no veils, no disguises.  In him, we see realism in its greatest expression.

Likewise, the apostle Paul shows authenticity in his words to the Thessalonians: “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.  On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.  We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.  You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed–God is our witness.  We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else” (1 Thessalonians 2:3-6a).

The power of gospel authenticity is that it shows the beauty and love of God in our weakness and vulnerability.  By being authentic with others, post-Christian thinking people can see God’s strength in our brokenness, and this can point them to Christ.

The Skin Horse says it right: ” once you are real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”  Let’s make a determined commitment–empowered by the Holy Spirit–to show the beauty of authenticity before others in our world.