It's easy to give in to the temptation to assign our worth and value to external things. Do you remember what Jesus said about how to distinguish true prophets from counterfeit prophets?
You'll know them by their... fancy houses and cars? No.
You'll know them by their... Instagram followers? No.
You'll know them by their... impressive jobs? No.
You'll know them by their... nice bodies? No.
You'll know them by their fruit? Yes. (Matthew 7:15–20)
We're the first to admit counterfeits are appealing. Who doesn't like the way it feels to have what the world considers success and happiness? The trouble with this concept is that the world and the Word are often at odds with each other. Wait, wait, wait. Are we saying that worldly success is evil? No, of course not. But we are saying that striving to achieve what the world considers success is a fruitless ambition.
- Have that side hustle, but have it in a healthy way.
Producing good fruit in our lives requires discipline and a lifelong commitment. The Enemy knows this and likes to draw us in with quick fixes and half-truths. Jesus warns us,
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. — Matthew 7:13–14
Sometimes when we take on a counterfeit identity, it's not always as apparent as we think. That's why it's so important to saturate ourselves in the Word of God — so we can use His Word to measure our hearts and see where we need His transforming love to come and clean house.
In our attempt to find our worth, we attach it to things that don't promise us eternal freedom. A counterfeit identity might look good for all the world to see, but it will never set you free.
I (Britt) have known people in my life who had all the things the world considers markers of value and worth, but, at the end of the day, they still didn't know who they were. It is possible to have all the things but at the cost of true freedom. Because just when you think you have it all, there will always be more things you need to shore up your value.
Having all the things, having the best body, the best car, the best house, the best clothes, the best job, the most success — none of it can compare to the true freedom found in Christ. It's an endless pursuit to try to find validation in anything but Christ.
It's like having a bowl of fake fruit on your table. When you have guests come in, they see the shiny fruit, but it's only to see, not to consume. Artificial fruit looks good enough to eat but it's plastic to the core. You can't offer any real sustenance with the fake fruit.
Speaking of fruit, we love what Jesus taught about how to distinguish the real thing from the counterfeit.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. — Matthew 7:15–20
Jesus' point was that not everything is as it seems. To distinguish the sheep from the wolves in our lives, we need to look beyond appearances to the fruit — to what is produced. Although we may not routinely need to distinguish between true and false prophets in our everyday lives, we do need to distinguish between the true and false messages we consume — especially when those messages influence our identity. We need to ask questions like these:
- Who am I listening to?
- What do they value?
- What are they teaching me?
- What is the fruit of their life or message?
- Is this person or message creating good fruit or bad fruit in my life?
These are important questions to consider when examining the voices you allow to speak into your life. False messages are everywhere, and they sow seeds of discontentment and discord wherever they go.
Consuming fake fruit will always leave us starving for real sustenance. Our experiences and feelings are not our identity. Why do we let someone or something other than Jesus determine who we are?
- Let's not allow the lies of the Enemy and the messages of a misguided culture carry more weight than what God has said about our identity, value, and purpose.
Refuse the plastic, shiny fruit, and pursue Jesus. Refuse the counterfeits, sister.
Excerpted with permission from Her True Worth by Brittany Maher & Cassandra Speer, copyright Brittany Maher and Cassandra Speer.
*
No comments:
Post a Comment