“A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.” William Blake
Referencing Stephen Joseph’s article 7 Qualities of Truly Authentic People written for Psychology Today, let’s look at the first quality on his list.
Truly authentic people:
- Have realistic perceptions of reality.
That’s an interesting thought, right? By this statement we may surmise that there is a perception of reality that is not real. To add to the ambiguity of that statement, we as Christians are subjects of a Kingdom that is spiritual in nature. In truth, that Kingdom is more real than what we see around us, but at the same time, we do not fully comprehend the breadth of its reality.
And yet, every strong structure is built upon a foundation, correct? Even strong ideas are built upon foundational principles. That is why the statement, “Ideas have consequences” rings true. Ideas that are rooted in the minds of a generation will lead that generation somewhere specific. Where? To wherever the root of the idea was formed. We see this played out throughout history. Each generation takes up the cause of what is lacking, only to find in the end, that there is yet lack in their own ideals.
What do I mean? Take, for instance, the Renaissance. The explosion of artistic expression, and the ability for humanity to tap into creativity, followed a period of religious teachings that stressed the divine nature of Christ and a suppression of earthy pleasure in order to meditate upon the heavenlies. The Enlightenment Era and the Scientific Era came on the heels of the artistic world as it focused on logic and reason. Why? Because balance always begins to emerge when the pendulum has swung too far to one side. What came after the Age of Reason? The Romantic Period. Do you see the pendulum swinging?
What does this have to do with our perceptions of reality? –everything! We as humans do not only see with our eyes – we see with our hearts. We see through the lens of our experiences. Often our realities are molded through what we lack or need. Because sin distorts truth, and deception plays to our emotional needs, we often believe something to be true that is not. And yet, until it is played out to its ultimate conclusion, we just can’t see it for what it is.
I had to write an apologetic paper in my Biology class. The paper was 95% of my grade and boy do I remember the stress that created. My internal dialogue was a protest to the fact that we were not micro-biologists, we were theology students. I scrapped my initial idea for my paper just days before the final draft was due. I could make a competent argument for the existence of God by looking at cell regeneration, but I could not write a 15 page paper on the subject. I ended up writing on the body’s innate ability to regulate itself. This process is called homeostasis. This is the short definition of homeostasis: any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival.
We are wholistic beings. The body’s self-regulating process teaches us that the health of the whole depends on each system doing its job. What triggers the blood cells to rush to an injury will have no effect on the brain’s signal to the inner ear to process noise and determine what the nature of the sound might be. And yet, if one biological system begins to faulter, it effects the whole. This idea of stability is a key component to the way our world is held together. And what is stability founded upon? –a realistic perception of reality.
I can promise you, my perception of reality when writing that paper was skewed! I was convinced that class would be my undoing. By “my undoing,” I meant my grade would be lower than my others. But the reality was that I would still graduate with honors and my life would go on as normal. Our fears, our passions, our desires, and our needs can and will affect our perception of reality. That’s why it is important to always bring the idea of authenticity back to the foundation of peace – and peace is only found in one place – the person of Jesus Christ.
Do you want to know how my Biology paper turned out? I received a 95. The truth of the matter was that our professor knew we were not micro-biologists, but that we were theology students. Fortunately for us, he had a realistic perception of reality.
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