Proverbs 21:29 Fake It
You’ve heard the expression; “Fake it till you make it” but what if your whole life is fake? Are you trying to convince others of your worth or contemplating it with the Lord?
When I was in high school I played flute in the band. I was NOT even close to the best. Often times I pretended to play because I was afraid of making mistakes and the notes on the page were too hard for me to read. I had to memorize them instead of read them because of my vision. I did a LOT of faking!
I actually had a solo once for a concert. You better believe I studied and memorized that section of the music well. But I was so nervous that I came in one beat too early. I didn’t know how to fix it so I just plowed on through. Didn’t miss a note but I spoiled the intended presentation. I got complements on my performance but I knew they were just being kind. My ‘fake’ failed.
When I was outside on my own, I played by ear. I LOVED the sounds coming from my flute. Nearly ALL the songs I played were worship songs and my heart soared with them into the Heavens! This was NOT fake. And I was blessed by it beyond measure. At one season in time I played in my church’s worship team BY EAR. This too was a great blessing for me.
Over the years I lost the ability to play. I haven’t forgotten the how to finger the notes but my lungs just don’t seem able to sustain my breath like they used to. I get dizzy and have to stop. I also don’t have a flute anymore, which is ok with.
What has this got to do with today’s reading? I was putting up a ‘bold face’ in front of my peers. I was pretty good at pretending I ‘had it all together’ when nothing could be farther from the truth. When I was alone I gave thought to what I was doing. I would search out the tones I needed, repeatedly stopping and starting until I got it just right. When I had it all in place the fruits of my labors poured out like find wine. If I still had the lung capacity, I believe I could pick up the flute and reproduce those same songs that I put in my heart.
The wicked ‘put up a bold face’ because he there is no real substance to their lives. They lack the one thing our souls were made for; relationship with our Father. They have to go through this life pretending. Pretending they ‘have it all together’, pretending they are satisfied with their lives, pretending that they have no fear of what comes after death of the body. That’s a LOT of pretending, and take it from me, pretending is HARD work! You have to make it convincing to others. You have to always be on guard so no one sees what is really ‘behind the mask’.
The righteous don’t have to pretend. They have found the ‘missing piece’ for their soul. NO. Everything is NOT easy and doesn’t always ‘come up roses’. But they put thought into the things they do. They examine where they are with the Lord, sometimes on a daily or hourly basis. Thought is given to whether their actions would please the Lord and which path they should take in life to do the most good for His Kingdom. We consider our sins and take them to the Father for forgiveness and help in not returning to them again. They think about what comes after this life and PLAN for that future by living a life now that will take them to where they want to be when their time comes to leave this earth. This too is HARD work but it has an AMAZING reward for those who choose to walk this path.
Pretending will NOT make it with God. He won’t let you into His Home, Heaven, because you were a ‘good person’. There is NO ONE ‘good enough’ to make it on their own merits. There is a critical decision one must carefully consider. It is the decision to believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Belief in the work He did for each of us on the cross is the ONLY way into Heaven. Belief alone is NOT enough. You HAVE to accept His offer of substitution and forgiveness as your own. He holds this gift out freely for ALL of us. And when you choose to accept Him as your Lord and Savior, YOUR ‘work’ begins. It is the ‘work’ of getting to know Him and living a life that reflects that precious relationship. WELL worth the price!
GOOD NEWS! You DON’T do this alone! God, the Holy Spirit walks with you every step of the way. He is with you to lead and guide you through the ups and downs of life. And He is there when this life ends. TOGETHER you will step into eternity into the arms of our loving Father.
Father God, THANK YOU for Jesus! Thank You that YOU made a way for me to shed the pretense and really live. Thank You for walking with me every step of the way. Thank You for leading and directing my path each day. Thank You that Your burden is light because You are carrying the weight for me. Lead on my Lord; I will follow and consider carefully the path before me. NO pretending anymore!
