Fakebook…..

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is one of mystery and often misinterpreted. The main point here isn’t a legal one. It isn’t about giving all your money to the church. It isn’t even about money at all. The main point here is about status. It’s about reputation. It’s about pretending. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to be made out to be better than they were. They wanted people to think they are selfless, all the while still remaining selfish. You can’t fool God. He knows your every thought and motive. Paul talks about this in his epistles, we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. We need to know our place, and that starts with our relationship with God Himself. With Facebook and everything in our society screaming “you matter”, it’s easy to get caught up in the race to compare. Our desire to be better makes Facebook a dangerous temptation. I can tell you so many people who appear to have the perfect Facebook lives, are miserable in reality. I know, I’ve met them. Instead of participating on “Fakebook”, as I call it, why not just be honest. Stop bragging about your vacations, accolades, and accomplishments and just be yourself. Your children are little sinners just like everyone else’s are, and so are you. The one thing I know about living life, is people appreciate honesty. They can spot a fake from a mile away. God honors humility, the practice of honestly admitting your weaknesses. For when we are weak, He is strong, and He gets the glory in all of it anyway, right? Let’s stop pretending to be someone we are not, and stop worrying if people will “like us”. God loves those who are honest and faithful. That’s enough for me. Hopefully, it’s enough for you too.

1 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened. Acts 5:1-11