“We didn’t know that she was doing this and had that much money!”….a family revealed when it was uncovered that their mother who was murdered had millions of dollar and was an unregistered money lender.
“My boy is a good son”… a mother confessed she didn’t know her son was a gangster and who was about to be imprisoned for the crimes committed.
“Shocking!”, “How can!”, “Aiyoh!”, “So hurting!”… are some reactions when we are confronted with the hidden life or deceit of a person whom we thought we knew well.
Duplicity cuts across all sphere of lives, from the wearing of masks in our lives to serious misdeeds; from the secular to the religious; family to social; young to old; men to women.
Some enjoy doing it while others feel trapped in living the alternate lifestyle. Some do it out of mistrust, others to gain trust. Some do it for acceptance; others to cheat or to control.
The danger is that, we don’t need to be taught this behaviour. We are naturally adept to such thing. “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jer 17:9)
“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come — sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” (Mk 7:21-22)
I hope none of us are leading a double life and I also hope we are not wearing mask.
You can fool the flock but you cannot fool the Shepherd!
It is far better to be plain in speech, yet walking openly and consistently with the gospel, than to be admired by thousands, and be lifted up in pride only to disgrace the gospel by deceit and unholy lives.
In the SG environment, we advocate strongly for authentic relationships. Whatever we share in confidence must remain in confidence. We must learn to trust each other and to accept one another. We must rid ourselves of contempt and a judgmental attitude. If you want others to be real than we ourselves must reveal our true self – when appropriate, share our own struggles and ask for prayer. Even the apostles asked to be prayed for! And put on compassion when others open up.
Among sheep we don’t need to put on a costume. Be real!
I see myself as a shard – a piece of broken ceramic that the Lord picked and brought home; cleansed and reshaped into a tool that He uses. In the Potter’s house, I see many remodelled pieces like me as well as many beautiful vases, each useful to the Lord. I am not a vase, so I don’t pretend to be one – no need to compare or compete with the vase.
By Shi Pau Soon, Elder (YCKC Bulletin 15&16 August 2015)