Queen Elizabeth’s death last week is a stark reminder that even that which appears to be the most constant and stable in this world is, in fact, not and that the only solid bedrock foundation is the person and character of Jesus. He said it this way:
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)
Notice that both houses (which represents two different people in this metaphor) experienced the same battering conditions of wind and rain. This is consistent with Jesus’ words to us: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus doesn’t promise that intimacy with him eliminates all the hard challenges that batter us at times, but rather his promise is that these difficulties won’t cause our lives to crumble and shatter—that somehow, we can even walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil because we are so aware of our sweet union with Jesus who has us securely in his affections.
This parable is making it clear that each of us has a choice. We either trust that our Savior Jesus, in his kindness, is always truthful as he reminds us of who our authentic, genuine self is so we can experience the fulness of life he promised, or we choose to do life on our own terms, which includes assessing for ourselves what we think is true. We either believe him or we believe our own perceptions. The latter is equivalent to living out of our false self (our flesh, our prideful ego) which doesn’t bear any resemblance to our authentic self, our life-in-Christ self. It’s the only real self we have—the one created in the image and likeness of our heavenly Father.
Here are just a few examples to help you become more aware of what the difference between your false self and your authentic self is your authentic self vs. your false self: - Your false self wants and needs attention, whereas your authentically-created-in-Christ self doesn’t need the spotlight because you already know your value in Christ!
- Your false self has a need to be right which leads to judging and categorizing others, whereas your authentic, in-Christ self doesn’t feel any need to prove yourself or put others down because you can see them as having infinite worth as created in Christ just like you.
- Your false self is all about self-preservation, but your authentic in-Christ self knows you’re already living in his eternal life so you can enjoy the moment you’re in without being anxious for what tomorrow holds.
Paraphrasing what the Apostle Paul was affirming as his reality: “My false self is dead to me—it no longer lives. The only true life I have is lived as the Christ-in me self! This is the only authentic me that exists.” (my paraphrase of Galatians 2:20)
Only the Spirit of Jesus within you can help you see and know what is true about you and what lies needs to be removed by his kind and gracious love. I pray for each of you the supernatural grace of God to be made more aware of your union with the life of Jesus, to be more willing to believe who he says you are, and to be more courageous to let him remove the old perceptions of yourself that haven’t been serving you well.
The authentic you is enough and exactly who your heavenly Father intended you to be.
With Love,
Brent | 
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