Word of the Quarter: PCC Scroll Volume XIV, Issue III

Here is the Word of the Quarter from the latest PCC Scroll. I combine the thoughts of the other editors into one article.

Last fall, we began writing from the overarching theme of “Becoming the Authentic You.” The first step in becoming the authentic you is acknowledging where you are while taking stock in where you’ve been. The second step in becoming the authentic you is figuring out who you want to be or (more importantly) who God says you are. The third step in becoming the authentic you is determining where you go from there.

In this issue, we will close out the overarching theme of “Becoming the Authentic You,” and write about living out our authentic selves. Our authentic selves have the power to do amazing works for and through God.

The crux of the journey of becoming our authentic selves is found in God. The more we know about Him, the more our thoughts, actions, and lives can be changed. This transformation causes us to move toward our authentic selves, which is who we are in God.

Simon Peter had a daily walk with Jesus. He saw Jesus perform miracles. He saw Jesus’ compassion toward the people. Simon Peter saw Jesus in His humanity. He, along with the other disciples, had a front-row view of who Jesus was.

It is from that closeness with Jesus that Simon Peter was transformed. Simon Peter’s intimacy with Christ helped Simon Peter identify who Christ was at His essence. Simon Peter was transformed to Peter. He became the potential that God had placed in him. He became and lived out his authentic self. He became a person who changed the world.

Paul is another person who was transformed after an encounter with Christ. He was transformed from Saul to Paul, thus becoming his authentic self. He was then able to live out his purpose. One just needs to read the New Testament to know the amazing work Paul performed as his authentic self.

Peter and Paul are just two examples of the many people who walked out their authentic selves and changed the world after encounters with Christ. You too have the power within you to impact the world around you. You have the freedom to be who you are. God will use your personality, gifts, and talents for His purpose and for His glory.

There is a power that emerges when we live out our authentic selves. Who we are in our authentic selves lies in who God says that we are. Through His power, we can live it out.

Christ knows the real us. When walking in our authentic selves, we are being true to ourselves. We are striving to become more like Christ. We are striving to be authentic.