I don’t have much use for fake, phony, or put-on-a-show people. I will tolerate you and will perform the socially acceptable things (like smile and make eye contact), but rest assured… if you are fake, I’m not listening to you…at all.

Here are a few indicators to see if you fit this weak and learned personality trait:

• Do you find yourself justifying decisions over and over again to people who have already confirmed the answer for you?
• Do you ever commit to something or someone without ever remembering what you’ve committed yourself to?
• Do you pretend to listen to what others are saying only to find ways to project the story or conversation back on you and your glory?
• Can people count on you to show up, follow through, or be present?
• Do you have to tell people that you are telling the truth when you “tell the truth”?

In a life of faith you have to first realize who you are. You must come to grips that God made you to be uniquely you. There are gifts you have and there are gifts you don’t have. The authenticity of a faithful man who pursues God will be revealed through actions more than words. I can certainly say from my own experience, that when the chips are down, I want to be around people I can trust. I want to surround myself with people that I can count on to deliver on their word and promises.

I don’t have to like you to trust you… not all of us are going to get along like champs and buddies. I’ll take a foe into a foxhole if I know they are true to their word. I will never take a buddy into an ax fight if I don’t think he will cover my back.

The Wanted Man is authentic.  Embracing this transparency means you begin to understand who you are and whether or not others can depend upon you to follow through. Authenticity is the substance of character the grows with honesty and shrinks with lies.

An authentic man is someone that is not afraid to tell you like it is…and give you hard truth. Christ Jesus followed through. Christ Jesus gave the truth (hard to swallow truth for many). God follows through. You should follow through on your promises.

We’ve got to get past the notion that being and authentic man of faith means we go to church and say a quick “rub a dub dub – thanks for the grub – yay God!” before we eat a meal. Being authentic in your faith means you help someone who can’t help themselves regardless of where you are in your own life. It means you’ll pray for someone if you say you’ll be praying for them. It means doing the things that God cares about.

The kids we see today emulate all of us. They emulate what we serve them. We can complain all we want about Television, Movies, and Music and what that’s doing to them. What are you doing to show them anything different? Do you really think you’re being authentic if you live one way but talk about living another?

Live Bold is looking for leaders that are far from perfect. We are searching for men that have come to grips with who they are or at least want to see what that looks like. Christ Jesus tells us in during His ministry among us that you better be something and not ride the fence. If you are hot… be hot. If you are cold… be cold. But don’t be lukewarm or God will spew you from His mouth.

Do you hear this? Christ is saying… Be Authentic. The condition of your heart is already known to God, being wishy washy, indecisive, or playing both sides of the fence… is detestable in God’s sight. If you are going to call yourself a man of faith… then be a man of faith. If you’re just giving faith some lip service, then you are of no use to yourself or anyone else.

If you want to be wanted… which everyone craves, then you’ve got to be authentic.

Before you can even think about Living Bold and plugging in to all that God has to offer you… you’ve got to get to know who you are. It’s at this point, that you are authentic. It’s in this place that you are prepared to receive the blessing of being wanted.

Anything short of this pursuit will leave you frustrated, searching, and just basically hard to get along with. God wants you to be authentic. Your family wants you to be authentic. Your friends want you to be authentic.

Live Bold each day. Be authentic. Do what you say you are going to do. Don’t promise things you aren’t capable of delivering. Don’t compromise who you are, but be gracious and tolerant of those who aren’t where you are.

Discover The Wanted Man series Here.
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