Whether you enter a high school as a parent, visit a college with your child or observe your own workplace, people are trying so hard to fit in that it is easy to forget the real you. Thinking they aren’t good enough on their own to be accepted by their peers, individuals seek to emulate Hollywood stars and pop culture to find approval. Behind this mask, a heart, soul and mind wrestle between reality and the facade you are living. This suppression blinds many youth from discovering the real you, often leaving a trail of remorse, regret and shame.
History isn’t exempt from this dilemma as one of the Bible’s greatest characters struggled with his own self image. According to Genesis 25:27-28, Jacob was a mama’s boy early on. Not blessed with the physical talents of his twin brother, Jacob was quiet, staying at home afraid to compete against the other boys his age. Fearful of being exposed as a wimp, Jacob became a humble servant around the house, doing whatever his mother told him. When the time came from receiving the birthrate from his father Isaac, Genesis 27, Jacob felt like he had to dress, look and smell like Esau to earn dad’s blessing. Several thousand years later, teenagers across the country find themselves in Jacob’s shoes.
While speaking to Jesus in the dark, John 3:1-9, Nicodemus was searching for the meaning of life, knowing deep down in his heart that following the laws of the Pharisees wasn’t the answer. Privy to the truth, the disciples of Jesus receive greater insight in Matthew 16:24-27 to eternal life. The secret to finding the real you is through surrender. As Michael W. Smith once sang about, “Love isn’t love until you give it away!” Despite being a paraphrased version of Jesus’ words, the moment you yield your body as a life offering to the Lord of Creation, Romans 12:1-2, the Holy Spirit unveils the real you in the form of God’s good, pleasing and perfect will. Let the words of scripture guide you toward the path of righteousness, Psalm 119:105.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 