Let the World See You: How to Be Real in a World Full of FakesSample

Being you isn’t convenient. It takes stepping out on a limb, taking a risk, and being okay with the results. Though fear tried to hold me back, faith eventually took hold. I formed an entirely new set of relationships and got to tell more than a few friends about what God was doing in my life and about who Jesus was.

In Matthew 28, Jesus gave his final commandment to his followers. “Go,” he said, “and make disciples of all nations” (v. 19). I had a school in my backyard that housed people from nearly every nation, so I went. And I made disciples. I led Bible studies, developed friendships, and loved on people who had never heard about Jesus. And I couldn’t have been happier.

In Ephesians 2:10, Paul wrote, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (nasb). I soon learned how God had prepared the way for me. And by being me, I was walking right in his will. He received the glory, the people around me benefitted, and the world around me thrived. I now know that I am more than a football player, but I guess I always was. I’m a child of God, an evangelist, a student, a son, a friend, and so much more. You are too. Never forget it.

What gifts has God given you that you are neglecting? What spaces in your life are you ignoring because of fear? Face them, and watch God do the rest.