The 3rd strongest contributing factor to spiritual luster is becoming real. Being real can be defined as becoming authentically true, both to your inner self and to others. To be real might sometimes guide you to appear a bit eccentric to others. To be real might propel you to live or appear ‘different’ even contrary to the commonly held behavior of the world. As you more fully answer God’s call; you may find that becoming ‘Real’ has consequences. As you gradually surrender your world-self to God, and strike-out in directions that conform, not to the world, but to what you hear as God’s call to your heart, you may discover a paradoxical and oft-times chilly exclusion from ‘the world’ as you grow closer to God.
Being real means that you become spiritually transparent, i.e., what you display outwardly is truly what exists internally. You display no pretense; you wear no masks; you put-on no airs… you become only what “is” in you. Becoming ‘Real’ requires a rugged intentionality to follow God’s call; to regularly visit with God; to develop true insight into self; and to feel and exhibit love for everyone, even though you may not like their behavior, attitudes or beliefs. Becoming ‘Real’ is tough!
In the delightful book, The Velveteen Rabbit, author Margery Williams writes, Real isn’t how you are made… it’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you… when you are Real you don’t mind being hurt. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or have to be carefully kept. Generally by the time you are real, most of your hair has been rubbed off, and your eyes drop out and you get lose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. (p. 17)
It’s with ever deeper insight into your true (real) self that you can catch glimpses of who you genuinely are at your core; a glimpse of heaven within you. Becoming Real offers mighty gifts: personal freedom, true happiness, insight to real life-purpose, and that indefinable joy of experiencing awe, wonder and delight! When you are confined to merely live-out tired prescriptions given to you by others, then you fail to grow toward ‘realness’. It is when you come to know your true-self better, that you can claim your true (real) inheritance from God. You are called to be the self you truly are… your True-Self.
Scripture
Falling at the feet of Jesus, the woman related before the whole assembly why she had touched Jesus and how she had been instantly cured. Luke 8:47
A person may be wealthy, but his possessions do not guarantee life. Luke 12:15
If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love; I am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal. 1 Cor. 13:1
I am the least of the apostles; in fact, because I persecuted the church of God, I do not even deserve the name. 1 Cor. 15:9
The proof that you are sons (and daughters) is the fact that God has sent forth into our hearts the spirit of his son which cries out ‘Abba.’ Galatians 4:6
But by God’s favor I am what I am. 1 Cor. 15:10
I myself am the bread of life. John 6:35
A kind mouth multiplies friends, and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings. Sirach 6:5