Am I Faking it? Luke 18 InterVarsity Proxe

The question we are going to ask ourselves and the campus with our proxe outreach campaign at CU InterVarsity in the coming weeks is 

Are you faking it? 

Where do you fake it? Where do you pretend to be someone or something you are not? 

Why do we fake it? 

Here is a image and card with some of the proxe: 

Lets see what Jesus says to some people who seem to faking it:

^{Luke 18}

⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray,one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus tells a parable that calls these people out on the ways they are faking it and being self righteous. They put on a big show with their words and attitudes but in reality they were probably full of fear and insecurity on the inside. They were probably desperately seeking love and approval from people and God. Yet  it seems they like the pharisee are putting on a show and they actually don't feel close to God. Because God himself as Jesus appreciates humility and people being genuine and vulnerable more than those in this story who were self righteous and trying to put on a show. 

How about me? How am i faking it? 

One way that I feel I have been faking it is in the past couple weeks dealing with the flood and being sick I have tried to be strong and say I am trusting God in this and that I believe he is good and that I am fully satisfied in God. 

But on the inside I have only felt that way sometimes. I have had ups and downs. Many days I have been pushing God out of my time: I keep myself stressed and busy with ministry, relationships, and commitments. Letting my time with God where I feel his presence and encouragement become the last priority. Then I have been mad at God for feeling further away and that has let me believe he doesn't have good for me or my ministry in this time. 

But God it is hard to turn it around and be real. 

After all...

I am a staff worker for InterVarsity. 

I am a minister and missionary for the gospel. 

I have been a Christian for a long time. 

I need to be strong for those I lead. 

I need to be the man in my relationship. 

I ... fill in the blank. 

There are so many reasons why we are scared to be vulnerable with God, with ourselves and with others. 

But Jesus in this parable gives an invitation to see how faking it gets in the way of experiencing the love from God we actually are looking for. 

Will we/ will I humbly confess to you God my sin and fear and pride and ask you to help pick me up? 

God I need help, I want to seek you and yet my fear and distractions have kept me. Break down those barriers and help me to run to you and rest in your grace. 

Help me to be real!

Amen