Pretenders
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. – James 5:16 NKJV.
…casting down arguments and every high thing (We demolish arguments and every pretension – NIV) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV.
An intoxicated 23-year-old man fell off a bridge in Minnesota early one morning. He did not really intend to fall off the bridge, although while he was pretending to be falling off the bridge, he actually fell. He fell about 30 feet into a marshy area of the Minnesota River and thankfully was in stable condition following his rescue. A friend was present at the time and called for help.
Have you ever pretended to be something that you were not? Have you ever pretended to be “holier than thou” when you were really just a worm of a sinner (Romans 3:23) like everyone else? Have you ever pretended that everything is perfect in your family and life when actually everything is falling apart? Have you ever prayed for all those others out there with addictions when you have your own secret addiction?
I am often told about situations and problems in the lives of people, but am told at the same time that this is very private, and not to send out a prayer request about it. I do understand their fears about others knowing of some secret, perhaps shameful thing, because I have had those fears too. However, if we really want God to do something about the situation or problems we need to share what is going on in our lives with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we were all upfront and honest about our lives it would be easier to share about our own lives; because then we would know that those Christians pretending to be perfect, are not any more perfect than we are.
Before we come to know Jesus as our personal Savior, we pretend that we have no need for God, because we are self-made people. We live in denial of our lost condition by pretending that we do not sin any more than anyone else, and so if they are going to Heaven, we will too. After we come to know Jesus as our personal Savior and are born again, many then begin to live their lives as if they have no need for God, because their lives are perfect. How sad! Let us stop being pretenders!
Pretending we are something that we are not just causes more problems, fear, and pain. If we are truly brothers and sisters in Christ then we are family. If we are family, we should be able to share our problems with one another and then the whole family can help to bear those problems. If you are a child of God you are not alone! You have a family. You have brothers and sisters who love you and care about you. You no longer have to pretend, because God is your Father, and through Jesus you are perfect in His sight. Rejoice! He has covered you with the “garments of salvation…the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).”
(Many of us pretend in our Christian lives that everything is perfect when we are actually far from being perfect.)