Posers Faith

 

"My wife has said that one of the things that she loves about me is that I can talk to anyone about anything. I have learned a little about a lot of things, as you never know what people know or like. It has  helped me in my jobs, and it has helped me in talking with people in general. In high school we had a word for people that acted like something they weren't in order to please people. We called them posers, talked about flashbacks, and hadn't used that word in a while. Now it’s a fine line between being a poser and being honest with people in terms of listening, knowing them and hearing them. I have crossed that line more than a few times, where I felt that as a man, I needed approval or some sort of belonging. With Ten siblings and a house always full, having a sense of belonging sometimes was tough. There were days and times, when I felt that I didn't belong, and yet a lot of the times I was always gone with my friends and had stopped speaking Spanish as much as I could. It really has made me insecure in many ways.

Genesis Three recounts how Adam and Eve felt after eating of the tree they were told not to. 

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (‭ESV‬‬) 

They hid. I think sometimes we read this and think it’s a story or a fairytale and not really the word of God. Look at what it says,  THEY HID, from God? I remember my mom was going to spank me (and that's putting it lightly) and I ran in the room, under the bed, thinking she wouldn't find me here, which she did. So when I read this I laugh because they couldn't hide from God, but they thought they could. 

Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, and instead of repenting of his wrong doing, he tried being a poser and hid behind leaves, and covered his nakedness with those same leaves. Instead of coming to God and or stopping Eve from eating, he felt insecure and ashamed. If you remember, God gave the command to Adam as written in Genesis two beginning in verse fifteen, 

“The Lord God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it and work it. The Lord God commanded him, “You may eat the fruit from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat the fruit from the tree which gives the knowledge of good and evil. If you ever eat fruit from that tree, you will die!”” (NCV)

It's no different with us if we truly look at our lives, and remember that we are fallen and sinful. We either decide to be posers for life and deny God, or humble ourselves and remove the façade that keeps us hidden from God. When God came to them, He chastened them for their sin, but for their own good. Like my mother would do for us; even though at the time it hurt, but now we laugh about it, because I look back knowing, I am better for it. If she would have let me get away with it, only God knows where I would be now. The writer of Hebrews says beginning in verse five, 

“You have forgotten the encouraging words that call you His children: “My child, don’t think the Lord’s discipline is worth nothing, and don’t stop trying when He corrects you. The Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as His child.”” (NCV) 

So my question is, what are you posing to be, what are you thinking you're hiding from? In reality it only is hurting you and your soul, for God is loving and was willing to die for you, which He did, to show you how great His love truly is. Yes, we all fall short, and we all have doubts. We all make and have made mistakes, but bring them all to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith! Leave the insecurities of this world and stop trying to cover up your mistakes alone, for only Jesus can cover our sins, and cover us in His grace and mercy." Jose Barajas