An old TV game show featured three people each claiming a unique job, skill or accomplishment. Then a panel of celebrities took turns asking questions to determine which of the three were telling the truth. Two of the three contestants had to lie and deceive the panel, and the more successful they were the more game money they received.
Sometimes we function as if we were those fake contestants. We want to conceal our real identity from those around us. We put on a pleasant face, nice sounding words and do our best to keep others from knowing the real us. However, our prize for this accomplishment is not a positive one like the game money. It is the lack of relationships or weak relationships at best.
Good relationships are built on mutual honesty. I found that my students appreciated this in me as a teacher. I might have joked that I never made a mistake, but I used my past mistakes and successes as illustrations to teach right choices to them. The result is that I became a real person to my students not just someone on a pedestal with whom they could not identify. This principle works in any relationship. The more real we are with others the more they feel they can be real with us and a trust develops that enables us to encourage, comfort and bring grace to one another. Be real today and look for the opportunities God provides for relational ministry.
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