I'm a Fraud

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I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Derek Webb live on Dec 8 and he gave all of us in the audience an awesome challenge. He observed that Christianity has become a tool of the self-righteous to feel good about themselves. I am so guilty of this that it hurts. At the academy I am known as a "mature Christian" but so often my life becomes a quest to simply cover up my own sin and play the part I've been cast in. Times like this are when my walk with Christ grinds to a halt and I push the Spirit out of my heart. It is the most empty feeling imaginable. I am so ashamed of the mask I put on to hide the sin in my life.

Derek challenged us to acknowledge the fact that we are and will always remain sinners. If we try to play the part of pious little Christian drones what kind of witness does that give others? However if we open up and share that we are no different from any other human being but for the fact of Jesus in our lives how powerful is that message? After all, Jesus did not sermonize us from above, He came and dwelt among sinners. If we could only break our mindset of appearing sinless before others we would be so much more powerful for Christ.

Father, please shatter my self-righteousness.