Fake love

1 Peter 1: ²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

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Embarrassment was the feeling as I stepped into the meeting wearing a suit and all of the senior managers were dressed “business casual.” From that moment I observed my boss’s every move. I took off my tie when he took off his tie. I bought the same pen and notepad.

Once we even showed up wearing very similar jackets. Yes, I had finally mimicked my boss so much that I began parroting his words. This should show my allegiance, I thought. Actually I didn’t like him, but I wanted to get ahead.

• Acting like I am helpful doesn’t mean I am helpful.
• Dressing like I am special, doesn’t make me special.
• Getting involved because I am pressured to be involved leaves me bitter when I get overwhelmed.

“Fake it until I make it” was the thought I had in that environment. I couldn’t “be myself” because they didn’t want “me” they wanted “that guy” over there. I faked my alliance with him in hopes that some of his success would rub off on me. One problem with faking it was I really didn’t want to serve him. I mean if a bus hit him I would have worried for a second but possibly thrown a party after my remorse.

• GOD says to me “do not take salvation lightly.”
• GOD says to me “treat EVERYONE with the same love I have shown you.”
• GOD says to me “show grace and mercy on them and I will show grace and mercy on you.”

Loving people without true compassion for them is actually impossible in my mind. I mean I won’t seek their needs and I will develop programs that make “me” look or feel good about myself. I wind up doing the right things but quickly see more and more people fall away from me. GOD wants me to love “from the heart.” This includes SPIRITUAL love that only comes from GOD.

• Are you showing “fake love?”
• Are you struggling because your love is only filled with obedience?
• Do you find yourself becoming burnt out?
• Won’t you stop volunteering because you feel it’s the right thing to do and volunteer because you actually want to show love?