Some Thoughts on Authenticity

Hey peeps,
Keith and I had a great time with you guys tonight. We are both really excited about how things went, and we are totally looking forward to what this semester is going to bring with our small group! We had some awesome discussion tonight. This blog is going to be a place where we can recap on what we talked about as well as adding in some more thoughts from Keith and myself. Check back weekly and you'll get updates, Bible verses to memorize, and thoughts that will help you prepare and get thinking about our next meeting. You know more than you think you do, and we want to bring these awesome thoughts inside your cute little heads out!

Tonight, as most of you know, we talked about being authentic and how to live an authentic lifestyle. The major takeaways we wanted you to get(And hopefully you wrote down) were
1. Authentic people lead
2. Authentic people influence
3. Authentic people are trustworthy

I know that I hear people all the time saying things like "I hate fake people." Or more often "I hate posers." How can you be authentic? How can I live my life in an authentic way? I think Paul says some interesting things about being authentic in the book of 1st Timothy. In 1^st Timothy 4:12-14, Paul tells Timothy how to be a strong leader: " set an example... in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14Do not neglect your gift..." Paul says to be an example. To live your life as someone who others will want to follow, but also to be real with people. Just live your life being who you are, but also in setting a standard to do well. Use your gifts and help others.

You may think "Chris, I don't have any gifts." or "The gifts I have don't help people be better." I tell you that you're wrong. Everyone has the ability to be authentic. All it takes is a smile or a conversation, or holding the door for someone. And I want to tell you that just because you are young, don't discount your ability! Let's quickly look at what Paul said at the beginning of the verse I just wrote about:
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

You have the power. All you have to do is take it. Be real with people. Be authentic. Try it out this week and see what happens.

Be sure and memorize this verse, it goes really well with what we have been talking about:
Philippians 4:8(The Message)
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
-Chris