Being Authentic in a Post-Modern World
Recently, I was listening to a lecture on C.S. Lewis's classic, The Screwtape Letters, and it brought to my attention the deep significance of authenticity in our post-modern culture.
We live in a post-modern world—one that believes there is no absolute truth. What is true for you doesn't necessarily have to be true for me. Without absolute truth, there's no consistent standard to measure our behaviors, beliefs, or attitudes. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, our culture deeply craves authenticity.
According to Merriam-Webster, "authentic" means:
Real or genuine; not copied or false
True and accurate
Made to look exactly like the original
How ironic that authenticity is so desperately sought after in a culture that rejects the very idea of universal truth.
The Post-Modern Dilemma
The post-modern mantra is simple yet complicated:
"There is no absolute truth; what's true for you isn't necessarily true for me."
Tolerance is celebrated—unless, ironically, you hold to a truth that others find disagreeable. Suddenly, the post-modern ideal of tolerance vanishes, leaving us confused: why isn't my truth tolerated?
Here's why: what feels true for one person can feel deeply inauthentic to another. Without a universal anchor of truth, everyone seeks authenticity in their own way, yet distrusts authenticity when it challenges personal preference or belief.
The Deep Human Craving for Authenticity
Today’s generation is desperately seeking authentic relationships. We desire friends who live genuinely, transparently, and unafraid of their true reflections. Authenticity means being real about who you are—warts and all—without fear or façade. Yet, true authenticity cannot be fully grasped or sustained by human effort alone. Why?
Because ultimately, the only completely authentic life ever lived was that of Jesus Christ. Christ embodies true authenticity: fully genuine, entirely transparent, perfectly aligned with absolute truth.
If authenticity is truly what our culture craves, then pointing this generation toward Jesus Christ is the pathway to discovering genuine Truth. Authenticity begins with humility—honestly confessing our shortcomings, our imperfections, and our dependency on grace.
The Mirror of Grace
C.S. Lewis beautifully articulates this truth:
"The look in the mirror, the honest assessment of self, is the first step toward the recovery that can be made by virtue of grace."
Being authentic doesn't mean we pretend to be better versions of ourselves. Authenticity means acknowledging openly that without grace, we cannot genuinely be our true selves. It’s recognizing who we are without masks, admitting our need, and embracing the grace that transforms us.
Authenticity through Grace
In the end, the most authentic person is not the one who presents a flawless image, but the one who freely admits their need for grace.
May we become a generation known not for our flawless façades, but for our authentic reflections—mirroring Christ’s grace and truth to a world desperately searching for something real.
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