Real or Fake? That’s The Real Question.

Have you ever gone shopping and suddenly something beautiful catches your eye, only to get closer to inspect it and find out it is some cheap knockoff?  It isn’t the real deal. I’ve had this happen to me on several occasions while thrifting.

Our little family loves to thrift.  When we go, each of us goes our way, except for the little guy. One of us goes with him. He always wants to go to the toys (insert eye roll here).  Once I’ve settled him, my eyes go roaming.  I start looking for those one-of-a-kind items that I personally love. 

As I’m looking, something will usually catch my eye.  I reach out to check it out, flip it over, and find it stamped with “Made in China”.

UGH!

It was soooo pretty!  However, it really isn’t worth anything.  It is literally a cheap knockoff.  I put it back, tempted to buy it just because it is beautiful, but I just can’t.  It isn’t worth anything.  It isn’t real.  It would just end up collecting dust and causing more clutter.

Did you see that?  I was still tempted to buy it because it was beautiful.

That is exactly what the enemy wants.  He makes things look beautiful to tempt you to believe that they are the real thing.  Yet, if you really begin to examine it with your spiritual eyes, you will see that it is truly fake.  Then, even when you realize it is fake, he will still tempt you into accepting it. 

“It’s just as easy to accept the fake.  It doesn’t cost you what the original would, and it is just as beautiful.”

My mind immediately goes to the Scripture in 2 Corinthians 11, where Paul is speaking of false prophets.  He suddenly goes straight to the heart of the matter and says, “Hey, it doesn’t surprise me that these people act the way they do.  Satan himself can change into something beautiful.  So don’t be surprised when you realize some of those around you are fake.” Yes, I paraphrased here.

Ouch!  Those are some mighty harsh words.

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."  2 Corinthians 11:13–15 KJV

We live in a world where people have become comfortable with fake.  Just like me looking at a beautiful teacup, even though it is cheap, its beauty is still there.  I could simply settle and be happy, yet I would miss out on something that is worth so much more.  Then, when I don’t give up searching, I eventually see a teacup that is not only beautiful but priceless.  It is R-E-A-L!

Let’s examine ourselves here.  If you take a deep dive into “YOU”, we aren’t talking about someone else, can you say that what “YOU” are portraying on the outside measures up to the inside?

There are so many paths that I could go down right now in regards to that one thing.  However, I just want us to look at ourselves from this perspective. When it comes to the Kingdom, are we who we say we are? 

Are you REAL in a world full of fakes?

When people see you, do they see Christ inside of you? Do you represent Christ inside and out?  Are you Christ-like? Are you Christ-minded?

In a recent post, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”, I talked about an encounter with a young lady inside of Baskin Robbins.  See, she had seen those that were fake, and I don’t doubt that she was expecting the same thing from me, but I was different. I was REAL.  I could have easily been just another fake coming in, but I wasn’t.

People are entertained by the fake, but once they get a taste of the REAL thing, there is no going back. 

Keep your life REAL. 

Keep your church REAL.

Don’t settle for the cheap knockoffs in this life. Determine in your mind to do what others aren’t doing.

Keep searching and be REAL in a world full of fakes.

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