"What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself." Eph 4:25 (The Message)
What stuck out to me?
The word pretense because I don't know what it means.
Definition (dictionary.com):
| 1. | pretending or feigning; |
| 2. | a false show of something: a pretense of friendship. |
The second definition above reminded me of something I just read in "The Shack" about the difference between expectancy and expectations in relationships. The author states, "when we await to see a friend, we may have an expectancy of being together, of laughing and talking. This expectancy has no concrete definition; it is alive and dynamic...but what happens if I change that 'expectancy' to an 'expectation' -- spoken or unspoken? Suddenly, law has entered into our relationship. You are now expected to perform in a way that meets my expectations. Our living freindship rapidly deteriorates into a dead thing with rules and requirements. It is no longer about you and me, but about what friends are supposed to do (p.205)"
I love this! It speaks about the freedom we can have in being expectant rather than putting our own demands of what an encounter with God or a friend should look like. It speaks into the demands or controls we can put on a friendship we may feel we are losing, or those phone calls we may make to a friend out of guilt (when law may have entered our relationship) rather than it being about authenticity.
What does this mean for me today Jesus?
Not putting on a happy face if it doesn't feel authentic with those you come into contact with today.
Ok, that sounds fairly direct. I think I can do that!
Posted by Andrea Bergman
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