Don't Be Afraid

A lot of what we read in Luke 12 and 13 had to do with hypocrisy.  The word is defined as "pretense of piety; insincerity; a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue; a pretender."

I'm sure none of you have ever done this (wink wink), but lately I've personally become quite aware of how easily I can slip from one version of myself to another depending on the crowd I'm with.  My words change, my attitude shifts, and I seek to blend in.  Fear of rejection pushes me to seek comfort and peace, especially when I'm around my "non-church" friends.

Between our daily Bible reading and my Bible study, God is really creating an awareness of my own hypocrisy.  Luke 12: 8-10 lays it all out on the table (taken from The Message translation)...

 ^8-9"Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God's angels. But if you pretend you don't know me, do you think I'll defend you before God's angels?
 ¹⁰"If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you're knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won't be overlooked.

My study notes say that we can pretend we don't know Jesus in a variety of ways...

1. when we hope no one will think we are Christians
2. decide not to speak up for what is right
3. are silent about our relationship with God
4. blend into society
5. accept our culture's non-Christian values

The ways we acknowledge Him include:

1. Living moral, upright, Christ-honoring lives
2. looking for opportunities to share our faith with others
3. helping others in need
4. taking a stand for justice
5. loving others
6. acknowledging our loyalty to Christ
7. using our lives and resources to carry out His desires rather than our own

So my internal challenge is to trust in God, and rest in the worth I hold in His eyes.  It's not in our reading for this challenge, but last night I was shown this verse from Isaiah 41:10, and I used it to talk to someone about having a relationship with God. Normally I would have avoided talking about faith with this person, but becoming aware of my own hypocrisy doesn't mean I have to remain chained to it! 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.