Don't Fake It Till You Make It - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) July 9, 2024
How many of us have heard of the saying, 'fake it till you make it?' It's a pretty popular idiom and it encourages people to pretend to be what they aren't until they become what they're aiming to be. This expression is widely practiced across the world and is used to manipulate others into thinking more of a person than they need to. Many aspiring to live better lives eagerly attempt to portray success, wealth and influence that they don't have. In so doing, they are in danger of violating the godly wisdom contained in Proverbs 12:9 - Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food. They are pretending to be somebody that they are not.
One might wonder why it's wrong to pretend to be what they are not, especially when their objective is to become that person someday. Well, let's consider the word of God on the subject. We are taught in Leviticus 19:11 - “’Do not steal. “’Do not lie. “’Do not deceive one another. Here, the Lord highlights that deception is a form of lying, though many consider it better than or different from telling an outright lie. However, where there is deception, there is often a lie in waiting. Ananias and Sapphira were deceptive and said what they likely thought was a tiny lie. They each died on the spot as a result (Acts 5:1-11). And, the Bible teaches that liars will go to hell so lies are to be avoided at all costs (Revelation 21:8).
Thus, when we adopt the 'fake it till you make it' concept, we are actively taking steps to deceive people into thinking we are more influential or wealthy than we are and that is a lie. Even if we don't open our mouths to say "I am wealthy and a big deal," we must be conscious that our actions don't peddle that deception. This is particularly the case for those of us simple people who need to accept that they are in a season of simplicity but their God can take them to higher places if it is His will. We don't need to help God along by packaging ourselves to present a false image. Such is hypocrisy and it is despised by God as evidenced by Jesus who called out the scribes and the Pharisees for being hypocrites and the children of hell (Matthew 23:15).
Another reason why this 'fake it' perspective is a problem is that it ignores the fact that we were fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God (Psalm 139:14). It further ignores the fact that He gave us all we need for godly living and simply need to tap into those by tapping into Him (2 Peter 1:3). The 'fake it' perspective on life ignores that God is the source of every good and perfect gift - not our strength (and that includes the effort put into creating a rosy fiction about our situation) (James 1:17). Plus, this view ignores Proverbs 21:29 - The wicked put up a bold front, but the upright give thought to their ways. Pretense, therefore, should be left for the wicked and should not be the modus operandi for those who believe in Christ. Believers are instead to view their current situation with confidence and assurance that their God is working things out for them and bringing them to an expected end as per Jeremiah 29:11.
The choice to 'fake it till you make it' may be the approach of the majority but it should not be the approach of those who claim to be God's children. It is an example of worldly wisdom and the Word teaches that such is pure foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:19). The Bible equally highlights that fools are dangerous and evil (Isaiah 32:6), so we shouldn't want to be anything like them or live as they do. Arguably, the 'fake it till you make it' tactic, which causes people who are poorer than they let on to project the very opposite is an ungodly attitude that can lead to hell if care isn't taken.
I pray that we will turn our backs on this way of thinking. While there is nothing wrong in wanting the good, better, and best that God promises, we do not need to deceive, lie, or reject God's process to get it. Sure, it is hard to wait but it is most advantageous to do so where God is concerned. He promises that those who wait on Him will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23). Abraham waited until he received Isaac. Joseph waited until he became the leader of Egypt. David waited until he became king. None of them enjoyed the process but the rewards were well worth it and God is more than able to help us too.
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