Be real. Life is too short for phony. People are tired of put-ons. It is refreshing to deal with people who are genuine. God is more concerned about what really is, than what appears to be. When Jesus walked the earth, His greatest problem was with people of religious pretense. They tried to look real good and publicly respectable but he called them “a den of snakes” & “painted tombs.” Sometimes guarding an image may make you look better in the public eye. But in reality make you worth much less in truth.
Have you Ever bit into an apple that looked good on the outside but was rotten inside? Nothing is more disappointing. Let God take His Holy Ghost soap and clean you up inside and outside. A sure sign of the Divine is clean-ness & truth. Get real with God & He will help you be real with others. There is no such thing as a spiritual person filled with lies and half-truths. Getting honest with yourself is absolutely critical in having a real relationship with God; or anyone else of substance, for that matter.
Deeper, more meaningful relationships start with transparency and openness. Typically, insecurity is characterized by a lack of openness. We are afraid to let others know who we really are. It is easy to be deceived by this mindset. This insecurity leads people to be concerned that if others see the whole truth about us; they will not like us. Yet this kind of disclosure is the very act of healing that is needed to get rid of the fear. It is the very proactive step that is needed find release.
I find the Bible to often be a very practical book. It describes and compares the mindset of openness versus the mindset of self-deception in descriptive terms. It deals with the subject in Proverbs 28:1 this way: “The wicked flee when no one pursues but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Paranoia often accompanies those who are trying to hide and cover secret lives. While, Knowing that we are right on the inside and we try to do what is right on the outside is the greatest confidence booster possible. We are not worried about who sees what we do; if we try to do the right thing.
So, if the goal is to clean up inside and out; then this advancing the cleansing process is the most important thing that we can do, to grow and develop personal behavioral wellness. You do not have to start clean. God is able to clean the cup. You are able to become honest. It is not easy. But it is possible and it is healthy.
Do not charge out and tell your whole “GUTS” to the first person you see. This is not wise. But find someone you can trust and share your heart with. If you don’t change the water in a glass, it gets dirty just sitting there stagnantly. It’s contents must flow and be regenerated to be pure. Our lives are like that. When we leave the stuff inside us that is bothering us. It gets worse. It’s like a sore. A sick heart must be opened and cleaned to heal.
For a glass to be clean, it must be clean on the inside and the outside. It takes both for the glass to be clear. Ahh! There’s a word; Clearness! This is a Quaker concept of worship and spiritual life. Quit living life just on the outside. Also work on cleaning up the inside of the glass. When internal contents are dirty; it is impossible to have an external healthy and happy quality of life. This internal cleansing or catharsis is necessary to be a whole and happy person.
gutsisthekey 
Right again, my friend! Authenticity is so important! In life AND in business. And YOU are the epitome of that! xox
:))))) Thank you Shelley!