For 11 years a Massachusetts man kept his secret hidden from others. No one suspected that anything was wrong. Even at home his behavior appeared normal. He would sit down with the newspaper every night after dinner, and not even his wife knew of his problem.

But the day came when he couldn't take the strain of covering up any longer. After years of guarding his secret, he finally confessed—he couldn't read. He had been a pretender.

Many people put on a front in their spiritual lives. They appear to be Christians. They speak the language, join a church, and are careful to hide their sins. They act piously and try to make a good impression, and people assume that they are Christians. But deep down inside, these spiritual actors know they have never admitted their sinful condition to God and placed their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation. Outwardly, they "appear righteous," but inwardly they are "full of hypocrisy and lawlessness" (Matthew 23:28).

Have you been faking it? You may fool others, but you can't fool God. He sees what's in your heart. Don't be a pretender. Receive God's Son as your Savior. Experience the real thing.  — Richard De Haan