July 2 I Tuesday

Job 22-24

Acts 11

“My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways.”   —Proverbs 23:26

There are some people who are not satisfied with themselves. They do not earn enough money, have mediocre jobs and think there is nothing special at all about them, but, of course, this is the last thing in the world that they would want others to think. In order to keep up with their appearances, they find themselves living inside an outside image that is not real. The familiar cliché, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” is often very true. What we see is not always what we get, and this is an inner struggle in which pretence cannot win.

Our position in pureness is a deliberate decision and commitment on our part to being honest and real. Pretending to be someone other than who we are is not an option in the Christian life. We cannot pull the wool over Jesus’s eyes, and our concern needs to be His character expressed through us. Jesus tells us, “The one who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him” (John 8:29). Because Jesus always did what pleased the Father, He was mocked, scorned and rejected, but far more important to Him was doing the will of His Father. This is pureness in heart, which reaps a far greater reward than pretence for the approval of others.

For our relationships to be right with others, we need to be pure in heart. We cannot have a right relationship with God if our relationship is not right with others. Jesus did not concern Himself with His reputation before others, and if we are concerned with ours, we will find ourselves hiding inside an outward façade that can be harmful. If we put on a false front often and long enough we will soon begin to believe we are who we pretend to be. But in our private moments, we know the inside and outside are inconsistent and in constant conflict. This will catch up with us; and instead of the peace truth brings, there is turmoil and tension.

Jesus liberated us from the need for pretence and reputation. He loves us as we are. David exclaims, “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). We need to get a hold of this, and be content with who God has made us to be. He has a plan for each one of us. Our responsibility is to delight in God with a pureness in heart and be in a right relationship with Him and others, honestly accepting who He has created us to be.

Prayer: Lord God, help me not to be influenced by what others think and teach me to delight myself in You, seeing myself through Your lenses. Thank You, Lord.