the importance of authenticity

Here's an exerpt from the current Christian Research Journal about the importance of authenticity of our faith in Jesus - great article!

...be authentic. The importance of this became clear to me when a young
nurse named Maggie, who had experienced abuse at the hands of people who claimed
to be Christians, began attending our church. Soon she was part of a small group
of spiritual seekers who were meeting with a Christian couple to investigage
faith issues. Maggie ended up writing this poem about those two leaders:

Do you know, do you understand
that you represent Jesus to me?

Do you know, do you understand
that when you treat me with gentleness,
it raises the question in my mind that maybe He's gentle too.
Maybe He isn't someone who laughs when I am hurt.

Do you know, do you understand that when you listen to my questions and you
don't laugh,
I think, "What if Jesus is interested in me, too?"

Do you know, do you understand
that when I hear you talk honestly about arguments and conflict and scars
from your past
that I think, "Maybe I am just a regular person instead of a bad,
no good little girl who deserves abuse."

If you care, then I think maybe He cares-and then there's
this flame of hope that burns inside of me and for a while I am afraid to
breathe because it might go out.

Do you know, do you understand that your words are His
words?
That your face is His face to someone like me?

Please, be who you say you are.
Please, God, don't let this be another trick.
Please let this be real.
Please!

Do you know, do you understand
that you represent Jesus to me?