Pretend

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child… but when I became a man, I put away childish things. — 1 Corinthians 13:11

 Our 3-year-old grandson loves to play pretend games with grandma. He comes over to our home once a week, and Ma-Ma (that's what he calls her) takes him to the supermarket, to the botanical gardens to feed fish and turtles, and to ride the underground train — all without leaving our home! He guards this game of pretend so jealously as something between Ma-Ma and him that one day when we rode the real train, he asked, “Why are there other people in our train?”

Pretending is normal for a 3-year-old. But some carry the habit of pretending into adulthood when they attend church. What they do in church has no bearing on what they do the rest of the week. On Sunday they praise God heartily, but on Monday they become different people. What they express in worship is not seen in their behavior.

Our Lord Jesus Christ knows that we can fall into this trap easily. That is why in His prayer to His Father, He said, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15).

God has placed us here to make a difference in our world. As He protects us from falling for the wiles of the evil one, He wants us to live by the same consistent standards in every aspect of our lives — not just on Sunday.             — C.P. Hia

Consistency! How much we need

To walk a measured pace,

To live the life of which we speak,

Until we see His face.               — Anon

READ: John: 17:6-19

Some people have heaven on their tongues, but the world in their hearts.

The Bible in one year:

• John 16-21

• Proverbs 7:6-27