“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8
“Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2023 is authentic—the term for something we are thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever.
Authentic has a number of meanings including “not false or imitation,” a synonym of real and actual; and also “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.” Although clearly a desirable quality, authentic is hard to define and subject to debate—two reasons it sends many people to the dictionary.
And with the rise of artificial intelligence—and its impact on deepfake videos, actors’ contracts, academic honesty, and a vast number of other topics—the line between “real” and “fake” has become increasingly blurred.”
https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/word-of-the-year#:
I do not know about you, but artificial intelligence scares me. When we make a phone call to a company or organization now, we do not know whether we are talking to an actual person or not. How much can we trust the information we are receiving?
The word “authentic” can also stress a painstaking or faithful imitation of an original. This is where we can apply it to our lives. When the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch it was because they were living a life patterned after Jesus Christ. As a man, He gave us a perfect example of a holy and dedicated life. As His children, we strive to be like Him in our daily lives. This means being genuine, trustworthy, and real in everything we do.
Romans 12:1-2 NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let god transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
As we let the Holy Spirit work on our lives, yielding completely to His will, He changes our thoughts and our desires and makes us a new person. Our greatest desire is to be like Jesus, so that others will be drawn to Him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to be authentic and real in our world, so that our lives will glorify you.
Devotion by: Anne Johnston.
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