Today was a HUGE breakthrough for me in the area of AUTHENTICITY.
Authenticity is about being real... genuine.
It's letting who You really are stand out in the forefront.
Everyday, I adorn myself with RED SHOES to remind ME of the great Power and Presence of God in my life. Those shoes do just what they are supposed to do. Every time I catch a glimpse of them, they shout to me... "Don't forget, God is with you!" And with that, I stay focused on Him and His plan for the day.
On the other hand, to Onlookers... I am stepping out of the house, day after day, sporting bright, bold shoes that scream "Look at me!" How daring is that? "Look at me?" Oh no! Who do they see when they look at me? And there lies the problem. Just who do they see?
I'm not worried about my closest of friends. They pretty much know exactly who I am. And I'm not worried about the people I don't know. They're not supposed to know anything about me. I'm talking about all those people, in between... acquaintances of various sorts. Just who do they see?
They see what I choose to project, and that's not always authentic. I told you the other day, that I've been guilty, in the past, of clothing myself with a watered down Christian image that I think is palatable to people. Only now... these RED SHOES are challenging Me to be BOLD and COLORFUL in my faith... not just in my heart, but outwardly, for all to see.
Can you believe that? And I thought that I just had to wear RED SHOES in this project. I never thought far enough ahead about the specific lessons I might be challenged with. But that's o.k. because I also never expected my faith to be so magical. Wearing this RED footwear has given me a powerful boldness that extends farther than I ever could have imagined.
So I shared with one of those "inbetweeners" today about The Red Shoe Project. And about the discovery of my "holding back" and how I had come to the realization of the importance of my being authentic. I did it! I did it! I told her who I really was! And she didn't reject me at all!
But I've also come to the realization that, although there will be some that will reject me, there are also many others that are waiting for me. They are specifically looking for me and the gifts that I have to offer. And now they'll be able to find me.
I'm the one wearing the RED SHOES.
Of course, I know that it's not really the SHOES on my feet, but the HOLY SPIRIT in my heart. He is responding to my determination to know Him more. He is fueling me with a boldness to be authentic... to be who I really am, and not to worry about what people think. And at the same time, He is being authentic with me. He's showing me who He really is, and He's not holding back!
What's better than that?
Gail
