Make-Believers

Children love to play “make-believe”; did you when you were a child? Who did you like to pretend that you were; a mom or dad, or maybe it was a doctor or policeman or a fireman; a maybe even a mayor? Or did you like to take on imaginary adventures such as slaying dragons and rescuing princesses who were held captive in castle towers?

Eventually, children grow up and learn to live a little bit more in the “real world” and let go of make-believe; or at least for most areas of our lives. Sometimes even as adults we will make believe that we are someone great and live vicariously through their life.

Or we will sing in the shower as we imagine ourselves on a stage wowing the fans who have come to hear us sing. Or how about the times we have stood on the sidelines watching one of our children playing a sport and make-believe that we too could still play great….as one parent told me; “The older we get the better we were”.

Make-believe is OK as long as we are honest with ourselves and not ripping off others. What I mean is playing make-believe at work and pretending that we are actually working only when the boss is looking is not only wrong it is also stealing. Or make-believing that you love your spouse and are faithful, when you are actually not true to them. Or “lip-singing” instead actually singing.

Make-believe exists everywhere, even in the Church’ “Make-Believers” I call them. They are people who really don’t have a relationship with Jesus and pretend that they do. They play Christianity as though they were playing a doctor or a fireman as a little child.

Part of the reason why the church is not doing what it should be doing is that the church today is filled with nominal make-believers who go to church like it is a social club. They are playing make-believe and upon closer examination, you will discover that they are hardly different in a substantive way from members of secular society.

“Make-Believers” are people who have lost their saltiness and need to get back the distinct flavor of what it means to be a “True Believer”; in other words a Christian.

The world needs true believers; people who will let their lives be filled with the reality of God in every area of their lives and in every place that they go. Truly following Jesus Christ; led by His Holy Spirit. Or, as Phil Keaggy wrote; 

“The true believers stand on every word You say, The true believers made alive in Christ today, This is how we survive and where we mean to stay. The true believers.”

True Believers - Phil Keaggy (HQ)