Thought for Monday, May 20th

May 20, 2013

The Real Thing

 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

 James 1:26-27

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting.  It has been found difficult and left untried.”

-          G. K. Chesterton

A true find is to uncover or discover something that is genuine and real; having some merit or worth.  In the quest to discover the genuine article there are many fakes, forgeries and cheap renditions that are often easier to discover and sometimes so masterfully crafted that they can deceive or fool sometimes even the most discriminating of observers.

However, God is not so easily mislead and He is never deceived or tricked.  When it comes to the real deal, the genuine article, the pure heart: He always knows.

There are many who pass themselves off as deep or spiritually mature, highly religious individuals: but sadly they are nothing more than imitations and forgeries (some might call them hypocrites).

If love and compassion, forgiveness and acceptance are missing: then there might be some reason to question the validity of the purity of the nature of the individuals claim.  If meekness and humility are never observed then something is missing.  If patience and gentleness are completely absent then there is probably some room for reasonable doubt as to the authenticity of the claim.

A truly religious person (though I am not fond of the word) is a person who will not be perfect at all times: but will recognize their imperfections and surrender them to the craftsmanship of the Master’s hands: and they are an individual who strives to have in evidence in their lives: the fruits of the Spirit of the nature of God

Sadly, to many professing Christians strive to be religious from the world’s perspective; rather than to be Christ-like in God’s.

To be the ‘real deal’ when it comes to being a child of God – requires that we, like Jesus be a reflection of or an example of who the Father is and what He is like.

Sometimes I wonder how well we are doing at being the ‘real thing?’

Prayer:

Father, it is so easy and effortless to be a fake and phony; but I want to be genuine and real: but I know I can’t succeed without Your help: so help me, please.