Filter Pressure

Scripture: John 12: 42-43
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

Observations:

Application:
This passage was in today's Fp Bible Plan.  It first stood out to me because of the last sentence.  Yikes! What an ugly accusation… but one that I fear in true of me all too often.

As I thought more about this, something that happened yesterday came to mind.  One of my Facebook friends posted a question about why some "religious people" do a certain thing.  It wasn't a religious practice that I was familiar with but I commented and started following the discussion.  It turns out, the practice he was referring to was a tradition of devout Jews.  I learned something new from this discussion.

But later I got to thinking… Would I have posted that same question?  Probably not.  Because I would have been afraid of looking silly… or ignorant… or irreverent… or whatever.  But to whom?  Not to unbelievers.  They wouldn't judge me for trying to learn more information about something I don't know.  In fact, I would say that both atheist and agnostic people generally tend to celebrate inquiry and curiosity.  No.  It would be other believers that I would be afraid would judge me for asking a question like that.

Eek!  Another mask… Another filter.  Let me first focus on my issue here before I turn this on the faith community as a whole.  Above John describes two tactics Satan uses to keep the Jews from openly acknowledging their faith: fear and pride.  He uses these same two tactics on me.  So often, I'm afraid to reveal my true self.  I hide behind my mask.  Fear holds me back.  And so often, I am motivated by the praise of people instead of the praise of God.  Pride has a grip.  Fear + pride = insecurity.  And insecurity is exactly what holds me back so often.

In his grace, the Lord is answering my prayer to reveal my filters.  And so I pray this morning that He would begin to remove these.

Now there's this other issue here… If I am afraid I might be judged by these "religious people" (as my FB friend calls us), how must we make nonbelievers feel?  Surely they don't want to be a part of a group that is so judgmental.  I realize I'm speaking in sweeping generalities here.  I personally feel within my own church that I can ask anything.  We are a no holds barred, talk about everything, raw and real kind of church.  And I know of quite a few other churches in my community that are the same way.  But we (the whole church) have got centuries of history of asking people to put on masks working against us.  And we've still got lots of church bodies who don't allow people to ask questions or talk about hard things.

I want to be a Christ-follower who doesn't pressure other people to filter themselves.  Because Christ didn't ask them to.

Prayer:
Lord, you are amazing!  Thank you so much for revealing more truth to me this morning!  Thank you for continuing to show me the masks that I've been wearing.  Peal those away, Lord.  Let me be real.  God, I also pray that you would make me into someone who doesn't pressure other people to wear a mask.  Help me to be loving and accepting and bring out the realness in people… not the religious filter. In Jesus' name!  Amen!