I get tired of pretending. Tired of the make believe – convincing other people that we’re someone else, only for our true colors to shine through. That used to be me.

Sometimes it still can be. 
As I write this post, my heart is breaking for a friend who hasn’t stopped pretending. She is walking down a path full of lies and doesn’t seem to care if anyone notices. Perhaps she’s not pretending anymore. It’s possible the person I thought I knew was the false identity.

I have to admit that I never saw it coming. Either she was a really good actress or the veil over my eyes was too heavy. Either way, the truth is out now and it saddens me terribly. She is walking in the devil’s trap and doesn’t seem to have the desire to get out of it. The light that once shone around her is gone. Nothing about her lifestyle says Jesus.
It reminds me of Jesus talking about the vine and the branches. He said it clearly,

“If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

I have taken the radical step to confront her, but so far it’s only been one way communication. It’s a hard step to take, but I’m willing to risk losing her friendship versus continuing to watch her take the path she is taking.
Seeing these actions in the life of my friend has me taking a deeper look into myself. Here are a few questions I’m asking myself:

• When people see me do they see Jesus?
• Are my actions backing up my words?
• Am I bearing good fruit?

These are questions we should all be taking a deeper look at. If we’re unsure of our answers, then it’s certainly time to step up and make the changes to answer yes to these questions.
Do people see Jesus in you? How do your branches look?
I would close this post with a question, but I’m not sure what would be fitting. Feel free to fill it in for me.