Have you ever looked high and low, wondering if you’ll ever find the real deal? I have. As long as there are hypocrites, those I speak of here will exist. Pastors who pretend to care. Family who pretends to love you. Christians who pretend to be the holiest people ever. Coworkers who pretend to be on your side, but watch out for that knife they’re preparing to put in your back.
These people are everywhere. Why do they do this? Some think they are impressing God. Others think they are impressing people. Don’t dare tell me how great you are because I’ll assume the opposite! I won’t believe you care until you demonstrate it. Call me skeptical, but I have seen enough of these cases. They actually humor me. I can just about predict every case.
The table in my life turned when I was going through counseling after my marital separation and impending divorce. The counselor stressed authenticity. Just be real! In that process, I began to see how I was pretending to have it all together when I was broken. I lost my family, career, and some idols that needed to be brought down. This prepared me to minister in a different way.
Now I’m a hospice chaplain. People don’t feed me bull like they used to when I was a pastor. I see all kinds of dynamics. I overheard one patient’s family member say, “The GD preacher is here.” I didn’t like that he used God’s name in vain, but at least he wasn’t faking who he is.
Jesus made it clear that fake doesn’t impress Him. In Luke 18, two men went into the temple to pray. One was a religious man (note the word religious) and the other was a tax collector. The religious man arrogantly prayed and bragged about what he did and didn’t do and spared no length of words. The tax collector (who was probably a rather crooked businessman) couldn’t even lift his head. He prayed a simple prayer: “God, be merciful to me a sinner.”
At the end of the day, God isn’t impressed with fake. You can carry a family Bible, quote tons of Scripture, wear appropriate clothes, and sing hymns by memory in perfect pitch, but I can promise you that God is not sitting on His throne telling the Angels, “Hey! Look at that!” Bottom line: fake is sin! Get real! It will bless the heart of God, and people will respect you more.
Matthew Winters (Honest Thoughts from a Pastor) 
Let’s see…I carry an electronic note book with a Bible app..I do try to memorize scripture but tend to forget what book of the Bible they come from…I wear over-alls most of the time…can’t sing a lick… Yep! That is the real me. Oh and I tell terrible jokes but can’t help but laugh at how stupid they are.
Don’t be so hard on yourself some of your jokes are pretty funny
I agree, Wally!
Lol…yall sooooo funny!
I was going to mention this on my last comment, in fact, am working on a post that I haven’t completed on broken vows. I too am divorced. I hate that I am, and it doesn’t matter that it was based on biblical grounds. I still hate it. But I think that I mainly hate it because I see it as a scar, but it’s not my only scar. It humbles me. But more than that I am humbled that God revealed his Son in me, not based on my merit, but because of his grace and mercy. So now I stand complete, but it’s in him. There are many in church and that although they profess Christ, may not actually be converted. I believe that when we know that God chose us in spite of who we are it humbles us, not exalts us. But we all have to dwell together. You already know that I am opinionated so I hope that I don’t sound like a know it all. I am not. I just am glad and grateful for what God has done in me, for me, so I want to share.
You are absolutely right, God knows us completely even our thoughts, so there is no fooling him. We might as well throw up our hands and confess, right? Because there are none righteous. We all need Jesus.
Forgive me for going on and on. Have a good evening.
I understand the scar. My wife and I both tried to keep our previous marriages together the best we knew how. I see this as an opportunity to minister to people who experience marital difficulty. There is so much I learned from mistakes and various steps along the way. I always appreciate your comments. God bless you in your journey.
I hope to complete the post. Right now it is in my draft box. You be encouraged. Keep looking to God who is the ultimate decision maker. Proverbs 21:1