In the year 1600, Shakespeare wrote a famous play that has become synonymous with his name. In act one scene three of Hamlet, Polonius is giving his son Laertes some fatherly advice before he leaves for Paris. At the end of his laundry list of self-absorbed rambling, Polonius caps it all off with, “This above all: to thine own self be true. . .” Shakespeare’s audience would have understood that someone who is not true to himself would be false, or in contemporary language, “Whoever is not true to self, is a phony.”

On the surface, one of the biggest hindrances to being our own person today is peer pressure. We all want to be part of the crowd, to be one of the group, or to be in the click. Because of this we listen to others and like puppets, we conform to what they want to see as opposed to being who and what we want to be. To be in the click, we need to dress a certain way, eat a certain way, drive a certain of car, believe a certain way, have a prestigious job, and etc. Most of us don’t even take the time to figure out whether we even like all that stuff or not. The Bible says:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God [Romans 12:2 KJV].

To be part of the crowd many people act out of character, trying to be something they are not [1]. On the other hand the Bible tells us that being ourselves is sinful [2]. We are not to walk in the flesh but to walk by the Spirit [3]. Proverbs 1:10 says, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not.” Never compare yourself to other people because God wonderfully made you [4].

So. . .to be (self) or not to be (self), that is the question. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. . .

If we Christians want to be ourselves, then be our self (IN CHRIST). We want to emulate Christ, not ourselves [5]. Don’t be ourself. . .be like Christ. We might be the only Bible someone sees.
_____________________________

[1] 2 Corinthians 5:17 Don’t try to fit in with the ungodly
[2] Romans 3:23 Be unashamed of Christ: If you have to act or be a certain way just be part of the click, they shouldn’t be your friends.
[3] Galatians 5:16
[4] Psalms 139:14
[5] Jeremiah 17:9, Therefore, imitate Christ, 1 Corinthians 11:1