Power to Live Authentically
I was eight years old the first time I remember choosing to be someone I really wasn’t.Akid in my third-grade class showed up one day with a cast on his arm, and I was amazed—maybe even a little jealous—at all the attention he got. The next morning, I snuck into our medicine cabinet, pulled out an ace bandage, and wrapped it around my own arm—not because I was hurt, but because I was pretty sure I had discovered something. I came up with a story about how I had injured it, and that day at school, I got exactly what I was looking for. The girls showed me sympathy, the boys thought I was tough, and I got to sit out during P.E. It felt like I had unlocked a secret: if I could control what people believed about me—even if it wasn’t true—I could get what I wanted.
And without even realizing it, I started believing a lie that would follow me for years— that pretending had power, and that who I really was just wasn’t enough.
If I’m honest, I’ve been wrapping ace bandages around my life ever since. Not physically, but emotionally, spiritually, socially—doing whatever I could to look like someone who’s got it together. And I know I’m not the only one. Our world is full of people playing pretend. We try to look confident when we’re afraid, joyful when we’re grieving, spiritual when we’re struggling. It’s easy to blame social media or the advent of AI, but this struggle started long before screens and filters. It started at the beginning in the Garden of Eden.
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the very first thing they did was hide. They reached for fig leaves to cover themselves.And ever since, humanity has been trying to cover up what’s broken, trying to manufacture something more acceptable than our true selves.
Authenticity—real authenticity— is when who we are on the inside matches who we are on the outside. It’s a rare thing to find because it takes courage. It takes trust. It takes surrender.
Scripture tells the story of Ananias and Sapphira in the book ofActs. They were part of the early church—a community marked by radical generosity and spiritual power.
People were selling possessions and giving all the proceeds to care for one another. Ananias and Sapphira sold some land but secretly held back a portion while claiming they had given it all. The issue wasn’t what they gave—it was the pretending. And when Peter called them out, God responded swiftly. Why? Because God was making something clear: He was building a church where authenticity mattered—a community where masks had no place.
In a world obsessed with image, God still sees the heart. He’s not waiting for the cleanedup version of you. He’s not impressed by your spiritual performance or your highlight reel. He’s calling for the REAL you—imperfections and all. The one He designed. The one He loves. The one Christ died for.
Romans says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That means we don’t have to fake it. The Gospel invites us to be fully known and fully loved.
You don’t need to perform your way into His presence. You don’t need to pretend your way into His promises. God is not looking for your perfection— He’s looking for your surrender.
Ask the Lord: where am I living inauthentically?And then ask him to help you change. He is always faithful.