Much of my teenage years were spent trying to be someone that I wasn’t. I wanted so badly to be liked, that I often acted differently based on who I was around to gain respect from others. Sometimes it meant hiding my Christianity, other times, it was being quiet to not draw attention to myself.
But regardless of how hard I tried to get people to like me, I always fell short. I was never happy and often I felt conflicted that I wasn’t being genuine with the people around me.
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices – Colossians 3:9 (NIV)
One of the best things you can do if you want good and lasting friendships is to be genuine. Hiding who you are or faking like you’re someone else won’t gain respect from others in the long run.
Be who you are. Be who God created you to be. Don’t hide your faith, hoping to gain popularity. Instead, if you’ll simply be genuine and real about your faith, you’ll find that more people respect you in the long run.
