PRETENDING

 

PRETENDING

Proverbs 13:1-10

Devotional:- “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches” (v.7) NKJV

One other instrument of the devil to steal people’s joy is to fill their hearts with pretence. To pretend is to behave or talk like, or put yourself in a status, that you are not. It is to use what you don’t have to impress people who do not like you. It is to give people a false impression about you. This always results in a show of shame and sorrow.

In the scripture we read today, there is the picture of a poor man who pretended to be rich. Who is he deceiving? Today you will see some people borrowing to spray at a party. Some will arrive at a beer parlour and ask everybody to be served, while at home, there is no food, and children's school fees are yet to be paid. Some are known to be very good outside to their secretaries, receptionists and the like, while at home they don’t have any credibility (Proverbs 12:9, Job 20:5).

Friend, this is simply a means to sorrow because everything you spend outside of your capacity will be paid back with pain. Why don’t you recognise your size per time and be careful of displeasing yourself to please people? Sincerity preserves your integrity and helps you retain your joy. But pretence will give people a fake picture of you. It is the junior brother of self-destruction. Be grateful to God for your level, and your joy shall continue.

Prayer: Lord, deliver me from self-deception.

“A PRETENDER WILL SOONER OR LATER LOSE HIS WORTH”