The Prince of Pretense
Grace shines best through the cracks we no longer hide.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Ray Stedman brings us face-to-face with the spiritual danger of pretense—a mask we wear when we portray ourselves as spiritually whole while quietly unraveling inside. The chilling story of Ananias and Sapphira isn’t just a historical warning—it is a living illustration of what happens when a believer pretends before others and before God. The moment we posture as something we're not, spiritual vitality ceases to flow. We may still be Christians, but our function within the Body grows cold and unresponsive, like a dead cell no longer connected to the life-giving blood.
The tragedy, Stedman notes, is that most of our hypocrisy isn’t overt—it’s unconscious. We think we’re being reverent, polite, “good Christians,” when in fact we are isolating ourselves from grace. We deny our struggles to our community and keep up appearances, assuming this is what holiness looks like. But grace doesn’t flow through façades. It flows through honesty.
The solution is not to despair, but to repent—to admit the false front—and believe that Christ has already provided the full remedy. In Him, there is no shame, no condemnation. We are free to live truthfully, sharing our struggles in grace and letting His life be seen in our weakness. This is how the church comes alive again—not by spotless veneers, but by honest, Spirit-connected fellowship.
Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, I do not dwell in the carefully curated image you try to maintain. I dwell in truth. When you present yourself as one who has it all together, but your soul is aching in silence, you are choosing disconnection over communion. I have not called you to impress others—I have called you to abide in Me.
When you pretend, even subtly, that all is well, you cut yourself off from the very grace that would heal you. You do not lose your place in Me, for you are sealed in Christ. But you forfeit the joy and vitality that come from living in the light. I am not ashamed of your weaknesses. I knew them before you did. I do not love a version of you that doesn’t exist. I love you—now, as you are.
You are part of a body, not a performance. When you hide, the Body suffers. But when you open up, even in the smallest way, My life flows again. Honesty invites healing. Transparency releases power. I have given you everything needed for life and godliness. So repent—turn from the mask—and believe. Believe that My grace is enough for this exact moment. Share what’s real. Let others carry you, and carry them in turn. This is fellowship. This is life. This is Me in you.
Scriptures: Acts 5:1–11, 2 Corinthians 4:7, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:11, John 15:4–5, 1 John 1:7, 2 Peter 1:3
Real-Life Analogy
It's like driving with a cracked windshield you keep pretending isn’t there. You polish the exterior. You clean the mirrors. But your visibility is compromised, and deep down, you know it. The longer you avoid fixing it, the more dangerous it becomes. Pretending it’s not cracked doesn’t make it whole. But the moment you take it in for repair, even the smallest crack no longer threatens your safety—it becomes a testimony of restoration. So it is when you stop pretending before others and come into the light of grace.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that I never have to pretend with You. You’ve already seen every crack and flaw, and still You chose to dwell in me. In Christ, I am fully accepted, fully cleansed, fully known. I no longer need to hide behind shallow words or polished masks. You’ve given me Your very life so that I can live truthfully and walk freely in the light. Thank You for placing me in the Body, where grace flows through honest connection. I trust You now to live Your life through me as I choose truth over pretense and communion over isolation.