Proverbs 13:7. One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
When you were a kid you likely pretended to be something you’re not. Of course when you are a kid pretending can be lots of fun. But this proverb is a warning for us to watch out for pretenders.
Solomon describes two pretenders here. The first is someone who tries to make themselves look richer than they are. Maybe they want to look better off to others than they really are. There are also those who pretend to be poorer than they are. Possibly they want to take advantage of others.
We can probably think of examples of people who have practiced both these forms of deception. Maybe you have been one of those people. In either case the person appears to be using deception in order to gain an advantage over others.
However, life in Christ gives us a completely opposite perspective. The Christian who is fearing the Lord and trusting God with all their heart need never try to use their financial status to deceive others. Instead we are called to not worry about our financial status while helping others. Look at how the Apostle Paul describes his own ministry:
2 Corinthians 6:3-10. 3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Paul allowed himself to be poor for the sake of the gospel. Why? So that many others might be rich. Rich in Christ. No obstacles. No deception. No selfish gain. Just a humble servant of God seeking to embrace any status, rich or poor, content in any circumstance, so that the power of Christ might shine through his life.
Can we do the same? We have the same Holy Spirit, the same Christ, the same God, the same love as he did, don’t we? Yes, of course we do. So stop pretending you’re something you’re not, and start living an authentic life for Christ.
You: Do you ever pretend to be something you’re not?
You in Christ: How does an understanding of who we are in Christ keep us from needing to pretend in order to gain an advantage over others?
Christ in you: Have you ever allowed yourself to be disadvantaged in order to serve others? Is there a specific way that Jesus is asking you to do this?
Pray: Jesus, I don’t want to pretend any more. Help me to know who I am so that I can be the servant the world needs. Amen.
To Live is Christ 