Being Genuine

A Waypoint Member

Hi, I have been a member of Waypoint for over 5 years and when asked about what I would write for a blog post there were many topics I considered but one stood out to me: being genuine. Being genuine is something that is very challenging to do in today’s culture but is an important part of being a Christian. Social media (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram, etc..) often discourages from being genuine so much so that an app was created for the sake of “being genuine” (Be Real). And with Chat GPT, deep fakes, and misinformation, I frequently find myself asking who should I trust? Who should I believe? Who is being authentic? I believe people want to be genuine but fears and anxieties of how we may be judged by others lead us to often put up a façade. There is good news though! God knows us fully and because we are known, we are authentic to Him and should be authentic to others (Psalm 139). God is the only judge that matters. There is tremendous freedom in this! Not “I can do anything” kind of freedom but “I do not have to be worried or be anxious of what others think of me” kind of freedom. I can attest to this from personal experience. 

As an undergraduate, I thought it was a good idea to rush a sorority/fraternity. To be honest, I did not know why I wanted to be a part of one but for some reason I thought it would “guarantee” friendship. However, the only thing it ended up doing was causing me to be someone I was not. I tried to talk the talk and walk the walk. Fake it till you make it, right? I ended up not getting a bid (accepted)…twice. I had other lifelong friends that received bids but some that did not. This experience made me realize I did not want to be anyone other than myself from that day forward. I decided to be authentic, honest, and real with other peers. This led to much more healthy and authentic friendships in undergraduate, most of whom I am still in contact with 10+ years later. 

For another example, while dating my future spouse, we discussed after our first date, that neither of us wanted to “play games” or be inauthentic with one another. We both wanted to be genuine from the onset. To have our intentions known and be real with each other to build a strong foundation of trust. The Lord knows our true selves and being known by our spouse is the goal, but our spouse will never know our true selves as the Lord does.   

The Bible also emphasizes the importance of genuine relationships. Romans 12:9-10 (NLT) says "Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.” Authentic love strengthens our connections with others and mirrors the unconditional love that God extends to us. In the Christian journey, being genuine is not just a personal choice; it is a reflection of our faith in Christ. By embracing our authentic selves, we too can love others unconditionally. As we live authentically in Christ, let us remember the words of Romans 12:2 (NLT), "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." 

If there is one takeaway from this post, it’s that I want all of us to challenge ourselves to be authentic just as God intended us to be. At Waypoint, we talk a lot about striving to be more vulnerable to one another. This is one aspect of being genuine but there are others too! When meeting someone new, instead of asking “What do you do for a living” or “How was your weekend” try asking “What do you do that gets you excited about living? What are your hobbies? What are all the aspects of life you enjoy?” Try to ask questions that will shine a light to others’ authenticity. All people are fascinating beings created in the image of God so take the mask off and let’s be real to each other!