“If You Can’t Be Authentic…”

“…be nice.”

I was in a crowd when I heard someone say this statement.  I thought about it and decided that statement is baloney.

3 Reasons Why

There are 3 reasons why that quote is baloney.

• Be Nice – Being nice should be a natural part of our authenticity.
• Can’t – This word needs to be “sleeping with the fishes.”  Say it over and over and see how quickly it grates on your nerves.   Replace can’t with “unable” or “choose not.”  The sentence would then be: “If you are unable to be authentic…” or “If you choose not to be authentic…”  How sad for someone to decided they are either unable or choose not to be authentic.
• Be Nice – Telling someone to be nice instead of authentic is telling them to lie. It’s telling them to be something they are unable to or choose not to be.

Be

Be authentic 100% of the time, even if it means your dark side shows.  If people do not like your dark side and are unwilling to help lift you up when you are down, that is their problem – not yours.

When you show your dark side and friends/family turn their backs on you, that means they do not have enough love inside them to help lift you back up.  Instead they are and only want to be around “happy plastic people.” (Casting Crowns “Stained Glass Masquerade”)

Do you have the guts to be authentic and to accept other’s authenticity, even when their dark side shows?

Coming tomorrow – “The Dark Side – We All Have & Need It.”