Be Who You Are In God's Releasing Grace

I saw in my pastor whom mentored me; something I had not seen modeled in many pastors an authentic life. He was just who he was. I saw it work.

I saw a man who was not defensive, who could laugh at himself, who had fun in life and yet was as good a thinker on his feet in question/answer sessions as I’d ever seen.
I saw a man who could love the homosexual and at the same time do an excellent biblical presentation on the sin of homosexuality.
I saw a man who had a room in his life for a wayward child. I saw a man who hardly traveled alone, no matter where he went, and always had someone younger with him. One of the secrets of building character in the lives of others is taking time for those younger than you. Those who are longing for the qualities and the character that have made you who you are.
No matter how significant you may become, no matter how well known your name, no matter how important your work, no matter your salary, no matter what your reputation may be, you must allow yourself to become who you are.

Know who you are, accept who you are, be who you are.

The greatest gift you can give to your congregation, to your family, to whomever-as the Lord continues to work in your life-is who you are. I have a good friend who says it this way, “We are not who we are, we are not even who we think we are. We are who we think other people think we are.” And if you’re in that world no wonder you have such struggles with character!
Character will not emerge from a phony life, which is all the more reason to go back to that word that so characterized my pastors life: authentic.

Know who you are, accept who you are, be who you are. That’s really it in a nutshell.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

You may be surprised to know that the apostle Paul had every reason to feel ashamed. He was one whose past was dreadful: "formerly a blasphemer, persecutor, violent aggressor." Then how could the same man write, "I am not ashamed" 2 Timothy (1:12)? He gives us the answer here in 1 Timothy (1:14): Grace was more than abundant. Blasphemy had abounded in his past, but grace super abounded. Violence and brutality had abounded, but grace super abounded.

What if it read "divorcee"? What if it read "homosexual"? What if it read "addict"? I realize it reads "blasphemer, persecutor, aggressor." But what if it read "prostitute" or "ex-con" or "financial failure" or "murderer"? In a grace-awakened ministry, none of those things in the past are allowed to hold those people in bondage. They are released, forgiven, and the believer is allowed to go on to a new life in Christ.

Grace releases people, not only from sin but from shame. Do you do that in your ministry? Or do you make a note of those things and keep reminding yourself when that particular name comes up: "Well, you know, you'd better watch her" or, "You've got to watch him." Do you give people reasons to feel greater shame? Who knows what battles of shame most folks struggle with? It is enormous.

Reverend William Bowers