Being Real

“The intentions of a person's heart are deep waters, but a discerning person reveals them.” (Proverbs 20:5 CEV)

If you have ever drawn water from a deep well with a bucket, you know that it isn’t as easy as turning on a faucet for water. You let the bucket down gently, listen for contact with the water, wait for the tug of heaviness as the  water enters the bucket, and pull it up carefully without spilling. Then you pour the water into a larger container and repeat the whole procedure. You draw only as much water as you can carry, coming back for more when you need it.

A person’s true intentions, motivations, and purposes are like water in a deep well. It takes some effort to bring our pure essence to the surface.

There are two prerequisites to being genuine:

1)You have to know who you really are.

2)You have to like your authentic self.

Awareness requires honesty, contemplation, and discernment. You have to   quit projecting superficial images that fit worldly expectations. Then you must sink into the dark depths of your interior, listen, wait for the tug of resistance, and carefully draw out whatever you find. You can only carry so much weight at a time, so introspection is best done at regular intervals, not all at once.

Knowing who you are is only the first step; liking your authentic self is a bit more challenging. The world is full of delusional people who are in love with the artificial roles that they project. However, most people don’t like their real, stripped-down, unembellished, raw selves. This is why it is difficult to find sincere individuals. You can only be authentic if you accept your true self. Otherwise, you will keep projecting an identity that feels more acceptable.

Search deep below the surface.

Get to know who you are.

Accept what you find.

Reveal what is real.