The other day I was in the gym and I couldn’t help but notice this guy who was working out on the leg press machine right next to me. He must have had 10 plates on each side of the machine. As I continued with my workout, I couldn’t help but occasionally glance over and see if this guy was really going to lift all the weight that was on the bar. Then came the moment of truth. After walking around for about 15 minutes putting on what seemed to be a show for all the folks in the gym, my man gets in the machine. He places his feet in the proper place. He takes a couple of loud deep breaths and then pushes the bar up so he can release the safety latch. Then with everyone watching he brings the bar down about a quarter of the way and stops then with a loud grunt, he pushes the bar back to the top of the machine. He continues to do this about 5 times and then puts the safety latch back into place.
I began to think wow, all that show for a quarter rep! This dude is nothing but smoke and mirrors! But I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. It seems that no matter where you go these days, the world is filled with pretenders. Those who make great claims, but their lives don’t live up to the hype. Just take a look at the Republican primaries and you will find this to be true. In the bible Jesus had strong words for those whose lives are just smoke and mirrors. In Matthew 23 he gives warnings to the crowd about following the Scribes and Pharisees. (v.3) so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. Next he goes into a series of woes to warn then about their behavior.
Now I don’t think that Jesus would have any negative words about my man in the gym who was pretending to be stronger than he truly was, but he does have plenty to say to us who pretend to be one thing, but are really another. He calls us hypocrites! (v.25) You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Then he tells us what to do if our lives are just smoke and mirrors. (v.26) First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. In other words, work on being the best you that you can be and stop pretending to be better than you really are!
