Lies

             For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. (Psalm 149:4-5)

 

Today’s devotional from Jesus Always by Sarah Young points out that we often try to allow others to see in us only what we want them to see. We show them what we think they’ll find acceptable or what we find unacceptable in them by showing our perceived superiority. One of the problems we have with God is that He is a little too like Toto in The Wizard of Oz. Even if He doesn’t pull back the curtain, revealing that we are a sham, He still sits and watches us try to fool everyone else.

The problem for us is, of course, maintaining the lie. Often, it’s not even just one lie. We must remember to whom we have lied about what and who knows the truth. And at all costs, we must keep those to whom we have lied and those who know the truth apart. All this requires a lot of attention and energy. And as I said, God doesn’t fall for it. With Him, at least, it makes no sense to try to hide this and show that. He knows what’s hidden and that what we’re showing isn’t true. Instead of pretending, we may stop wasting the time and energy on the lies. What’s better is that we not only don’t need to, we don’t have to. He doesn’t tell us to be what we are not. Instead, He calls us to become what we are not yet.

Between now and then, we can rest. We needn’t fear that He will reject us. We can feel assurance that He will work in our lives, to fix the broken, heal the injured, and teach the foolish. We can't and needn't protect ourselves from Him, so wisdom suggests that we should learn not to try. Allowing Him to work allows us to experience His delight, win the victory, and rejoice.