Today as I was running along the shore, soaking in the beauty of creation surrounding me, a song pumping through my earpiece caught my attention.

The music interrupted my random thoughts and I found myself recalling a question someone recently asked me.

Does everyone get the same version of you?

My mind has drifted back to this insightful question many times since.

Of course, we all like to think we are the same person with everyone we meet

Or…..are there many versions of you?

I suspect, like me, as you linger on this question, you will conclude there are, indeed, many versions of you. Would you like to meet some of the versions of Athena?

Confident Athena. When you are infused with confidence almost anything is possible and stepping into the unknown, regardless of the opinion of others, is easy. But am I confident? Now don’t get me wrong, I can appear confident in nearly any situation, a skill my wonderful Father imparted as I grew up. The truth, however, is that I rarely feel confident, instead

Passionate Athena creeps into the picture and loses all fear as she gets carried along by some hair brain scheme or propelled by enthusiasm for something that captures her heart.

I am aware that both confident and passionate Athena can inhibit or even discourage others from stepping out and so I need sensitivity and humility when I introduce these versions of myself. I want to enable and encourage people to be more than they believe they can be, not drive them into hiding for fear of being inadequate. I want them to realise that any confidence we have is in Christ alone, He is the one who enables us to step into all He has for us.

I especially love the kind and generous Athena but am I selective in my kindness and generosity? I hope not but I have a sneaking suspicion I pick and choose who I shower with kindness and generosity. Jesus asked us to love our neighbours and even more radical, love our enemies. This does not involve selection or picking and choosing, it involves loving everyone always.

Judgemental Athena. She doesn’t pop up very often but sadly I think she may be lurking in the background waiting to pounce. She is someone I don’t want to encourage or give any foothold to because who am I to judge? It is so easy to think we are being wise and discerning when in fact all we are doing is dressing up and disguising judgement.

“ don’t give that beggar money, give them a banana because you don’t know how they might spend the money!”

Well, who judges you when you buy a new pair of boots? We are not called to judge, we are called to love without reason, to see each person as Jesus sees them and to be His hands and feet.

If you don’t want to give them money, be even more radical and take them for a cuppa and a scone, listen to their story and you never know, you may discover you are not that different, rather circumstances led you along different paths.

Fearful Athena can catch me unawares and lead me along avenues of thought that are destructive because fear is all-consuming and distorts everything beyond recognition without you even realising it has a grip. I’m not particularly fearful but there is a version of me that seeks approval and if you strip that back it is fear of what people think.

It is incredibly freeing to no longer mind about the opinions others so readily voice. They don’t know you or what you may be negotiating, they are not on the sidelines cheering you on because if they were, they would be speaking life not destruction over you.

Hold lightly to peoples opinions, live with integrity, humility, kindness, love, compassion and gentleness, let these be the things you are known for, the constant version of you. Showing respect to everyone, giving them value, listening and hearing when they share their story, seeing who they are.

There is one who is the same with everyone, consistent and full of love, always wanting you to be the best version of yourself. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He loved you yesterday, loves you today and will love you tomorrow. His name is Jesus.

“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This beautiful Bible verse talks about how God is renewing and transforming us day by day into the best version of ourselves, into the likeness of Christ.

It is so easy to look at me and judge Christ by how I live, by which version of me you get but I am on the same journey as you and I am not yet transformed into the best version of me. I am not fully transformed into His likeness but I can point you to Him, His love is constant and can be relied upon.