Fake It Till You Make It?

Whenever we start something new, the recipe calls for a certain amount of fake it till you make it. But as a course of life, this is not the way:

A wicked man puts on a bold face,

but the upright gives thought to his ways.

-Proverbs 21:29

According to this proverb, one of the character traits of the wicked man is that he puts on a bold face. In other words, he pretends to be more than he is. He makes great boasts, even though he may deliver (and has delivered) very little.

The upright, on the other hand, is characterized by his thoughtfulness. He is guided by knowledge and carefulness, rather than open bravado. The gospel security we enjoy in Christ makes this possible (since we have nothing more to prove). With the help of his Spirit, we too can rightly consider our life and ways and walk in the freedom of simple honesty.