As human beings, we have a deep, innate longing for the genuine. We yearn for "the real deal". Authenticity attracts us, drawing our attention irresistibly. And yet, at the same time, it is impossible not to notice the distinctive lack of authenticity in our lives. Instead of being transparent Christians, we often try to make it seem like we have it all together. On the outside, it can even appear as though we never go through any trials, never feel any fear, and never experience any discouragement or doubts. So if it's true that we're strongly attracted to the genuine, why aren't we all honest, mask-free people? Ah-- but there is a catch. Authenticity has a price. When we're genuine, we're allowing others to see our guts. We know that they probably won't like everything they see. Thus, we also have a competing desire: we want perfection. And no matter how desperately we long for it, we can't achieve our goal. Such is our dilemma. How do we react when we cannot be genuinely perfect?

Well, if you can't afford a pair of diamond earrings, there's an alternative. You can purchase diamond simulants-- artificial imitations of the actual diamonds-- for a significantly lesser cost. In fact, BetterThanDiamond dot com advertises that its diamond simulant, Asha, looks even better than the real gems, "easily outperforming the typical natural diamond" on a scale of brilliance. When compared under a microscope with natural, imperfect diamonds, these simulants look incredible. But they're fake.

Kind of like us, isn't it?

Mankind has a problem. We've had it since birth, like an internal disfigurement. Jeremiah 17:9 laments, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Sin mars each of us. And as we continue to grow in awareness of God's holiness, our own sinfulness stands in even sharper contrast. So we feel ashamed, and compelled to hide in order to cover the defect. Although covering our flaws comes at the cost of authenticity, it gives us the satisfaction of having the glittering appearance of perfection. We become like diamond simulants.

Real diamonds, on the other hand, are never perfect. Even those labeled "flawless diamonds" will reveal impurities at the level of 20x magnification. A diamond cutter can always sculpt away more to improve the quality of the gem. In the same way, we need to remember that sanctification is an on-going, lifelong process. It will not end. God will never finish scraping away at our hearts. As long as we are on this earth, we will never reach a place where we are completely sanctified. And yet, this doesn't give us an excuse for a facade.

At the root, the charade that we put on stems from pride. It takes humility and courage to be sincere and open with other believers, especially when it comes to our weaknesses. Vulnerability never comes easily; our masks let us feel secure. But for the Christian, this kind of sincerity is essential to practice. Jesus didn’t die so that a group of people can gather in a church every Sunday, pretending that they’ve achieved perfection. Do you ever notice a difficulty or even inability to talk about heart-to-heart issues with other Christians? The cause could be this very wall of superficiality. It obstructs relationships, and hinders fellowship with other believers. It isn't the way Jesus intended his followers to behave. The truth is: every one of us struggles. None of us are exempt. And our duty, as members of the body of Christ, is to support each other and spur one another on towards godliness. This sort of Christian fellowship cannot truly be accomplished while we are still clinging proudly to our masks.

A Time And A Place

I felt like some clarification was necessary here. What I'm not implying is that we must be completely vulnerable with everyone, at every time. I reveal my deepest struggles and fears only with those in my closest relationships, not with anyone. In his book, The Trauma of Transparency, Grant Howard writes, "We are not saying that we hide everything; but that we tend to hide. Nor are we saying that we should be totally transparent and hide nothing. The solution to the problem of hiding is not telling everyone everything all of the time." Instead, use discretion.