Authentic People

I was working in a bookstore this morning when I overheard a nearby conversation about business. Three men were discussing their business undertakings. One was clearly the boss. He was younger than (or same age) the others, yet he was clearly delegating tasks to these men. He used a lot of buzzy business lingo... "We'll get this streamlined" or "I'll get you clearance to push that one through" or "I'll be honest with you, the expectation is..."

Something about the way he was speaking was somehow annoying to me. I couldn't figure out why...but it was bothering me.

Was it that it made him sound important? No.

Was it that he was not speaking kindly to the other men? No.

Were there just too many buzzwords? No.

What was it?

After thinking it over a bit, it dawned on me. Something in his voice gave him up. He wasn't really the guy he was portraying. He wasn't really this self-important, expert business executive guy he was playing. He was just a regular guy. His friends from college knew him to be someone quite different. Even his family would be slightly taken aback to hear him in this role.

The problem...the thing that was bugging me...was that he wasn't authentic. He wasn't being himself in his business position. He was playing the part of the very important and powerful business exec. It was as if the tie he donned that morning somehow transformed him from this fun-loving, funny, laid-back person into the pressed-shirt, tie, business exec man.

For some reason, at some point in his life, he (consciously or subconsciously) decided he needed to be someone different in order to be successful in his business career. He needed to play a role. He's becoming a servant to an idol and changing his behavior to please the idol. Is it money? Is it acceptance from the "right" people? Is it power or prestige? Is he after titles and accolades?

If he's not careful, he'll soon forget who he truly is and the actor will forget to turn it off. His social crowd will shift and even his family will begin to relate differently to him.

As I realize this, my annoyance slowly fades to compassion. It's sad to see someone who is probably very likable turn into someone he's not...someone not as likable.

He needs Jesus.

With Jesus, he can still desire money, title, prestige...but it's all subservient to Jesus. My money will be used to glorify God. My title will enable me to influence God's change in the world. My prestige will allow me to influence others towards Jesus. Just look at Bono or Mel Gibson or Mr. T!!! :)

With Jesus, he won't be a slave to those things...they will be a slave to him as he humbles himself. He will no longer need to compromise his true self to achieve those ends. His passion and worldview will be focused on someone other than himself. He'll live to please God, not the masses or his parents or his old coach or whomever he feels the irresistible urge to prove himself to.

Most likely, the change will occur slowly. He'll slowly give up the behavioral patterns that have de-authenticated him over the years. He'll slowly grasp who God has created him to be. He'll slowly understand that that is the man he's working towards...not the business exec guy. He'll slowly find freedom in being authentic. He'll slowly learn that if God has truly called him to be an influential business exec and he follows God's lead, he'll get there as the man he is and not the man he's pretending to be.

This is freedom! This is beauty! This is God's power at work in the lives of his creation! This is what a restored people can be!!!

Oh God...turn his heart towards you! Give us another man after your heart!