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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Monday, August 11, 2003 "I am the Great Pretender" |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, August 11, 2003 by Fritz Foltz
One of the tough parts about being a Christian is listening to Jesus attack religious people. They seemed to be his favorite targets, often the object of harsh name-calling. “Hypocrites! Whitewashed Tombs! False Prophets!” He especially attacked those who regarded themselves as religious authorities for demanding of others what they refused to demand of themselves
Too many religious in our modern society justify his criticism. The Church has been overwhelmed by scandal. Too many have not provided deeds to support their office. Too many who asked us to trust them, have not proved worthy of that trust. Too many have used religion to harm others. Too many of those we wanted to inspire us have let us down.
We understand when Jesus warns us to be careful of those who present themselves as good at religion. He counsels us to judge them by their actions rather than their words, by their fruits rather than their promises. You can almost hear him saying, “Talk is cheap. Save your respect for those who do what they say they will do.”
But we have to be careful. In the same breath, Jesus warns us we are not competent to take splinters from other people’s eyes, because we have logs in our own.
Nobody is good at religion. None of us does what we want to do. We all fall short. In fact, often those who talk most about religion are not good examples of what it is to follow Jesus. Often those who criticize society and other people for not being religious enough leave a lot to be desired in their own lives.
Whenever I hear Jesus speak words like these, I think of the hit song that was so popular when I was in high school, “I am the Great Pretender.” My friends and I often claimed, “That’s me. That’s who I am. I am the great pretender.” Obviously, it was a stage in life when we were not sure who we were. We did not always like what we felt and thought. Yet I have to admit even today I sometimes find myself thinking the same thoughts and humming, “I am the Great Pretender”.
In the parable about the Pharisee and the Publican Jesus makes clear all is not lost. God simply asks us to be honest with ourselves. When we admit we do not live up to our religious goals, God had already forgiven us and given us what we need to try again.
Jesus’ words also provide another helpful insight. We should always be very discerning when we talk about who is truly religious. Ludwig Wittgenstein, the famous philosopher, suggested if we want to know if people are religious we do not ask them, but rather observe them. “You shall know them by their fruits.”
Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord. Help me to live my life to your glory alone that I might strive to serve other people rather than to gain their praise. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
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