David’s Trepidation

The people of Israel, who had already rejected the Lord’s leadership, had had enough of the corrupt judges and were now clamouring for a king to rule them.

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” – 1 Samuel 8:4-5 (NIV)

And despite all the Lord’s warnings (1 Samuel 8:10-18), their calls for a king intensified.

“No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” – 1 Samuel 8:19-20 (NIV)

Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else (1 Samuel 9:2 NIV), was out searching for some of his father’s donkeys that were lost when Samuel first met him. Unable to find these donkeys and ready to throw in the towel and head back home, a servant who was with him, encouraged Saul to seek the help of a certain man of God to locate the lost animals.

Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; – 1 Samuel 8:15-16 (NIV)

Today’s blog is not about Saul, so all the above is simply to provide a little context; we’ll leave Saul and his leadership for another day. Anyway, basically that’s how Saul was anointed king of Israel.

And you know what, his rule was just as God had told Samuel it would be, he was terrible to the same people who insisted on Israel having a king; sometimes we reject one thing for another, thinking that the other will be better than what we already have, despite being warned about the thing we want.

On to David who enters the narrative in 1 Samuel chapter 16. By this time, several years had passed, God has rejected Saul and sends Samuel to Jesse, David’s father, to anoint one of his sons as His chosen king of Israel.

“Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” – 1 Samuel 16:1 (NIV)

After much ado, David, just a boy, is anointed by Samuel as the future king of Israel.

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. – 1 Samuel 16:13 (NIV)

photo courtesy O'Reilly Lewis

Please take note that in the Old Testament and before the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, only certain, chosen individuals were endowed with the Holy Spirit.

Older now, David was introduced to the king’s court when he was appointed as court musician to play the lyre for king Saul as he had become a terribly troubled man.

Saul and David end up having a tumultuous relationship rooted in envy and hate on Saul’s part. And after king Saul’s death, David becomes king of Israel.

When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. – 2 Samuel 5:2 (NIV)

David, whom the Lord described as a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) was now king however, by his own admission, he had sinned against the Lord (2 Samuel 12:13) and was filled with remorse.

In his anguish and moved to repentance, David wrote Psalm 51 and in owning up to his sinful behaviour, wrote a curious line.

Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. – Psalm 51:11 (ESV)

Have you ever wondered what caused David’s trepidation concerning God’s removal of His Holy Spirit from him? After all, God said a lot but nowhere in the message Nathan delivered to king David did God say that He would remove His Spirit from him (see 2 Samuel 12).

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’” – 2 Samuel 12:11-12 (NIV)

Beloved, you would recall that from the day Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David, the Holy Spirit was upon him. Likewise, after Samuel anointed Saul, the Spirit of God was upon him but after his rebellion towards God (see 1 Samuel 15), the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him; by the way, that’s why Saul needed soothing music played (see 1 Samuel 16:14-23).

Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. – 1 Samuel 16:23 (NIV)

David’s trepidation stemmed from witnessing firsthand what Saul suffered as a result of God removing His Spirit from Saul. He did not want to suffer the same fate. 

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “David’s Trepidation” © 2026 July 30, 2026

One of Ten

photo courtesy O'Reilly Lewis

Leprosy, a dreadful disease that affects the skin is painful, highly contagious and quite noticeable due to its white, scaly appearance, loss of skin and the physical deformities it produces to the fingers, toes, ears and even the nose.

Moses’ law deemed lepers unclean.

If you have a dreaded skin disease, you must wear torn clothes, leave your hair uncombed, cover the lower part of your face, and call out, “Unclean, unclean!” – Leviticus 13:45 (GNT)

The laws related to leprosy were not based on sanitary conditions alone but were religious, since uncleanness was akin to sin, therefore as far as the Jews were concerned, leprosy was symbolic of sin.

Command the people of Israel to expel from the camp everyone with a dreaded skin disease or a bodily discharge and everyone who is unclean by contact with a corpse.   – Numbers 5:2 (GNT)

Notice that after King David was visited by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12), he saw himself as spiritually unclean.

“You sinned in secret, but I will make this happen in broad daylight for all Israel to see.” “I have sinned against the Lord”, David said. (v 12 & 13)

The king could blame no-one but himself for his sinful failure and in sorrowful repentance, considering his own sin to be like leprosy, wrote Psalm 51 entreating God to Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean (v 7). In those days, hyssop was used in the ritual cleansing of healed lepers (see Leviticus 14:4).

Hyssop is symbolic of Jesus, who cleanses us from all sin (see 1 John 1:7). In Luke 17:11-19, we see that symbolism in effect when Jesus, traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem, enters a village and encounters ten lepers. Standing at a distance the lepers shouted, “Jesus! Master! Have pity on us!” (v 13).

Jesus saw their condition and said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” (v 14) and it was while they were on their way to the priests that the healing miracle occurred. This reminds me of the centurion in Matthew 8:8 (GNT) who told Jesus, Just give the order, and my servant will get well.

It’s interesting to note that immediately before we are told of the healing miracle of the centurion’s servant beginning at verse 5, verses 1-4 recount Jesus’ healing of a leper.

And behold, a leper came up to Him and, prostrating himself, worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You are able to cleanse me by curing me. And He reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed by being cured. And instantly his leprosy was cured and cleansed. – Matthew 8:2-3 (AMPC)

In Luke’s account of the ten lepers, Jesus did not even have to touch the ten, all He did was give the order and all ten lepers were healed.

When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself to the ground at Jesus' feet and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. – Luke 17:15-16 (GNT)

These two verses hold so much meaning. We are told that one leper returned to Jesus. Have you ever wondered why only one of ten healed lepers returned to thank Jesus? What is the significance of that?

One of ten, a tenth, is related to tithing. The word tithe means tenth. Tithing is an ancient practice that pre-dated the Law of Moses. In Genesis chapter 14, Abram gave Melchizedek, the High Priest, a tenth of the spoils, voluntarily and under no written obligation. Abram did this to show those around him that it was God and not man who had made him rich (Genesis 14:21-24).

In the same way, the leper, one of ten – a tenth – under no obligation, returned voluntarily to Jesus, showing that it was Jesus, God incarnate, who had healed him, not man, the priest.

This account of the one of ten lepers highlights the concept of the living tithe; it speaks of the giving of yourself to God, not prompted by law, or rules or tradition but by love for Him.

Did you notice how Luke purposely let us know that the man who came back was a Samaritan?

You see, to Jews, Samaritans were unclean, so, place your feet in Luke’s Jewish readers’ shoes; an already unclean Samaritan with leprosy represented what Paul referred to as the extreme malignity and immeasurable sinfulness of sin (Romans 7:13 AMPC). Luke is emphasizing Jesus’ complete and absolute power over sin.

I know that I skipped ahead, that’s because I wanted to leave the former leper’s gratitude for last.

Experiencing the genuine love of God drives us back to Him in sincere gratitude.

Just like anyone of us who has been delivered from physical circumstances, the one of ten, in recognizing God’s miracle as an awesome blessing, would have undoubtedly felt the pull of wanting to be in His presence again, making returning to express his gratefulness not difficult.

What do you think this Scripture is saying to you about your own response to God's blessings? Are you grateful? Are you habitually thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18 GNT)?

There is so much you can be grateful for, so why aren’t you expressing your heartfelt gratitude every moment of every day? Giving thanks is at the heart of Christian spirituality.

Luke 17:11-19 is a call to every person who professes their belief in Jesus Christ to true thanksgiving and undivided devotion to God.

 Beloved, we may not have the physical disease, but we, like king David, certainly have had spiritual leprosy, for we have suffered the effects of spiritual and moral brokenness, shame, condemnation and got ourselves entangled in things and with people we ought not have got involved.

Spiritual Leprosy today is no different than it was two thousand years ago, that’s why this story of the ten lepers can be applied to our own lives.

The truth is, we are all lepers, and all of us, you and me, need to honestly examine our hearts, our priorities, and our worship. The one of ten threw himself to the ground at Jesus' feet and thanked Him. The leper in Matthew chapter 8 came to Jesus and prostrating himself, worshiped Him.

Jesus is still healing all who come to Him suffering spiritual leprosy but unfortunately, still only one tenth will return to Him, to give God the glory for the life-changing experience through their healing encounter with Jesus.

You must be the one of ten, one tenth, 10%, the living tithe, who will be truly thankful that Jesus has set you free, the one of ten who would be filled with gratitude out of an overflow of love for Him and what He has done in your life to forever change the course of your future.

Be the one of ten who, apprehending that God Himself is your exceedingly great reward (Genesis 15:1), returns to Jesus to follow Him, trust Him, worship Him and become His true disciple, never to return to the harmful moral and sinful influences of spiritual leprosy.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “One of ten” © 2026 July 29, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Praise is your weapon!

 

Everybody needs a reminder about something or the other every now and then. We humans tend to forget, especially when the going gets tough. It’s said that when that happens then the tough get going but most times, all we do is wilt in the heat that challenging seasons emit.

But remember, followers of Christ have been given certain weapons and one very powerful weapon in our armory is one that David used constantly. That weapon is praise. Praise, used properly, is like dynamite and the Book of Psalms is filled with it and, nearing the end of the book, from psalms 145 to 150, the praise intensifies.

There are several groups of psalms referred to as Hallel, “to praise”, but considered the most significant group is the Egyptian Hallel, psalm 113 to psalm 118 because these six psalms were recited during the Passover and various other Jewish observances.

Great Hallel is a term that usually refers to Psalm 136; however, it can also be applied to psalms 120 through 136, which would include the psalm we are looking at today – Psalm 135, our weapon of choice.

Praise the Lord!

Praise his name, you servants of the Lord, who stand in the Lord's house, in the Temple of our God. Praise the Lord, because he is good; sing praises to his name, because he is kind. He chose Jacob for himself, the people of Israel for his own. I know that our Lord is great, greater than all the gods.

Lord, you will always be proclaimed as God; all generations will remember you. The Lord will defend his people; he will take pity on his servants. The gods of the nations are made of silver and gold; they are formed by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, and eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear; they are not even able to breathe. May all who made them and who trust in them become like the idols they have made!

(Psalm 135:1-5 & 13-18 GNT)

This psalm is adamant about praising God wherever, whenever and for whatsoever. It reminds us of who God is; that He is great, greater than all the gods. We habitually forget that truth and replace our great God with things and people and even the challenges we face.

We have a tendency to magnify and give especial prominence to all the stuff we have made into idols in our lives. Even the positions we hold, all the various titles –  doctor this and honourable that – are worthless in the proverbial big scheme of things.

Do not ignore the warnings about idols and false gods which get you nowhere; all they’re “good” for is to divert your path and distract you from what is required and necessary.

Praising God as a weapon is necessary and vital to combat all the various challenges of life. Don’t you know that praise affects the atmosphere? Praise creates movement, it causes situations to shift, makes mountains shrink into mole hills and removes barriers. Praise clears your path to the throne room of God and releases the blessings of heaven. The ancients understood the power of praise; that’s why David never stopped praising God (see Psalm 34:1).

Beloved, God has provided us with an arsenal of praise psalms and has graciously given us the keys to the weaponry storehouse so, you are free to use each one in every moment of your life. Praise is your weapon!

Praise God for constantly working all things together for your good.

Praise God for the many blessings, large and minute, that He gives you.

Praise God for the times of challenge, for you know that He can do all things, that nothing is impossible with God.

Praise God for keeping you from the distractions of the false gods of this world.

And just simply praise God at all times because He is good, because He is kind to you, because He chose you for His own.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Praise is your weapon!” © 2026 July 27, 2026

 

What about the daughters of Zelophehad?

 

Chapter twenty-six of the Book of Numbers lists all the male descendants twenty years old or older from the twelve tribes of Israel who were eligible to go to war.

After the plague had ended, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, “From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war.” – Numbers 26:1-2 (NLT)

From Rueben, 43,730.

From Simeon, 22,200.

From Gad, 40,500.

From Judah, 76,500.

From Issachar, 64,300.

From Zebulun, 60,500.

From Manasseh, 52,700.

From Ephraim, 32,500.

From Benjamin, 45,600.

From Dan, 64,400.

From Asher, 53,400.

From Naphtali, 45,400.

In reading through the list of clans and subclans (v 5-50), we come across an anomaly.

(One of Hepher’s descendants, Zelophehad, had no sons, but his daughters’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.) – Numbers 26:33 (NLT)

Out of the 52,700 descendants from the Tribe of Manasseh, Zelophehad’s five daughters were not included, as that number comprised only the men of Israel twenty years old and older, just as the Lord commanded Moses (v 4), so instead they are given honourable mention.

As women, to be mentioned at all was unusual for that era when women, because they were mostly considered of little to no value, remained unnamed. Additionally, the fact that they are each mentioned by name is an indication that they mattered in some way, that their story was noteworthy.

Long story short…

The girls’ father, Zelophehad, on the journey to the Promise Land had died in the wilderness without male descendants so, his daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were faced with a serious legal dilemma.

You see, in those days only men were allowed to inherit land and according to God’s instruction, the Promise Land was to be divided between the tribes with the exception of the Tribe of Levi, the priests, since they did not receive an allotment.

Each member of the new generation of men listed on the census, was assigned a specific portion by name. Because only the men were counted on this census, Zelophehad’s daughters had nothing to get – neither land nor wealth. As per the laws at that time, only sons inherited the land and wealth of their fathers.

Recognizing the unfairness of this law, these five young sisters, in an effort to claim what should be rightfully theirs, confronted Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle (Numbers 27:2).

Moses presented their case to God.

So Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord replied to Moses, “The claim of the daughters of Zelophehad is legitimate. You must give them a grant of land along with their father’s relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father.” – Numbers 27:5-7 (NLT)

Together, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah challenged the laws of Israel (see v 1-4) and in doing so, ignited a fire that brought about a change that positively impacted all women in Israel.

These courageous sisters’ actions, set a legal precedent which allowed daughters to inherit their fathers’ property in the absence of sons. A new order of inheritance was implemented.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

Beloved, be inspired by the daughters of Zelophehad, who, through their resilience, faith, boldness and sheer determination to see justice served, respectfully confronted injustice and inequality thereby forging a path of change, empowering the women of the day and leaving an indelible mark on the annals of history.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “What about the daughters of Zelophehad?” © 2026 July 25, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Financial Reality

 

Some time ago, in conversation with a pastor-friend of mine, she raised her concerns about her church’s dwindling finances. I was surprised since she had never divulged the private matters of the church to me before, so I knew that it must be weighing heavily on her mind and she obviously needed to vent.

This church boasts an enviable location in the heart of a bustling city centre. It’s not a large edifice but rather quaint and stands out as a lovely respite from the more modern concrete and glass structures that surround it.

She told me that the situation was bad and though she’d made several suggestions to her superiors of ways that the building might be used to raise desperately needed finances, their old-school-thinking prevented them from seeing her vision.

This stone church with its lovely flower garden, green lawn and meandering pathways, would be ideal for small garden parties.

This stone church with its high ceilings, grand pipe organ and wonderful acoustics, would be ideal as a venue for religious concerts.

This stone church with its beautiful stained-glass windows, ornate arches and gilded altar, would be ideal for wedding ceremonies.

Next door to this stone church was a well-appointed building which could be rented to host small gatherings – luncheons or meetings or conferences or a dance class.

The carpark, though small could be offered as monthly paid parking facility to employees of the offices nearby.

She had even suggested that they could use the kitchen to cook and sell lunches as workers around there were always in search of food during the lunchtime period.

This willing pastor was shut down at every turn, instead, her superiors’ solution was as it has always been, “Pastor, you must rely on the good nature of your flock; the weekly offering and monthly tithes will have to suffice.”

The money that was being received from the congregation just wasn’t enough to sustain the running of the church. That was the financial reality.

Despondent and on the verge of tears, she looked at me and whispered, “My beautiful church will die right before my eyes.”

My friend was not the first or only person I’ve heard express such a sentiment but saying that the church will die is only hastening said death. So, if you are one of those persons, stop declaring that over your church.

How was she to solve this dilemma? There must be ways to boost the church’s income without going against the stance of the leadership. She would have to seek ways of raising the church’s finances in a manner that her superiors felt truly honoured God.

Throughout her years at theological school and as an ordained pastor, she had never been offered to take even a single course on church finances.

Some church members fail to recognize the importance of church finances; they don’t understand that there’s a business aspect to the church. The financial reality of the church is foreign to them.

Even though she knew her church’s current financial reality, she too needed to gain a better understanding of financial stewardship in general and what God expects from the church and from her as its leader before she could move forward with finding ways to create wealth for her church.

It had become necessary for her to develop her own financial stewardship theology to successfully change the church’s dismal financial reality. She also knew that this was not for her benefit alone, she would have to share this knowledge with every member of her congregation so that they could apply this truth to their own lives.

My pastor-friend wasted no time, she began by poring over the bible, determined to learn everything the bible teaches on the topic. She looked at the concept of biblical stewardship in the Old Testament because she believed that it was the foundation for understanding financial stewardship.

Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things…“O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! –1 Chronicles 29:11, 16

She explored key passages on money in general, material blessings, tithing and how God responds to those who honour Him with their possessions.

Then she studied financial stewardship in the New Testament, searching out Jesus’ teachings on stewardship and reading all Paul’s epistles, paying close attention to how he dealt with the various churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica.

In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus teaches that where we store our money reveals where our hearts are and what we value in life. Paul’s message in Acts 30:25 is very instructive.

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Beloved, financial stewardship is quite an exhaustive topic. This is just a nibble to get you started if you care to know more. Each one of us should be concerned about our financial reality, some seem to think that to do so is not godly but Jesus’ teachings on finances can be found in the Gospels.

Remember, money is not the root of evil, it is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil and some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (see 1 Timothy 6:10).

We all need to gain a better understanding of financial stewardship and what God expects from us, so let us determine, like my pastor-friend to learn all that we can from God’s Word.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Financial Reality” © 2026 July 24, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love with genuine Affection

 

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. – Romans 12:9-13 (NLT)

These days everyone is so caught up with their jobs, their careers, their homes, and their ministries, that they don’t have time for themselves let alone others; not even their own parents or children are able to spend quality time with these workaholics. They are just too busy for proper interaction.

The Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 12 is focused on different types of relationships and in verses 9 to 13 he addresses specific issues involving the relationship between believers. He is particularly concerned about the genuineness of the love, care and compassion that is expressed.

In the not-too-distant past, in churches could be found believers who genuinely loved and cared and supported one another but now with all the busyness that has consumed us, genuine love remains a memory.

There was a time when we could take our problems to an elder in church who was willing and able to help in a meaningful way just as James 5:13-16 advises. But now the church itself is referring its members to professional services which may not be what the person really needs.

What has happened to the church and the authenticity of the Christian community life? Sad to say that what Paul was dealing with in his letter to the church in Rome is still an issue thousands of years later – believers exhibiting a façade of love to each other rather than love with genuine affection.

Paul’s solution to this pretence was not avoidance or shying away from the hypocrisy but to pray about it. Going to God in prayer and sacrificing the lack of love or the inability to love sincerely to Him, is the first step toward deliverance.

Ask God to implant, into your heart, the love that you need to show and to share and when you receive His love, you will have enough love to give back to Him and to others. This love, which is an element of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) can only be fulfilled through Spirit’s power.

You see, it’s not our endless religious activities or how well we follow the rules or keep up with the various traditions that truly matter, but our love of God and by extension, others.

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? – 1 John 4:20 (NLT)

God wants our lives and our hearts in intimate, joyful, relationship with Him. This is the only way that we will ever be able to sincerely love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honouring each other. The Christian life is not about pretence and performance, it’s not about the religious machinery and rituals done by rote, it’s living out of the ever-present availability and sufficiency of God’s grace (see 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Too many of us are “in” but not “all in”. Giving to others from your physical substance is just as spiritual a sacrifice. Pouring yourself out for God includes pouring yourself out for others and this is not just pouring yourself out for your church family but for your blood relatives – your father, your mother, your siblings and anyone else who is a member of your family. All whom you seem to not consider as needing your love, genuine affection and honour, especially your parents.

“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise – Ephesians 6:2 (NLT) [see also Exodus 20:12]

Beloved, Jesus is our example to follow. He valued people, loved all people, never avoided the less desirable, He showed kindness, affection and accepted people as they were.

The Apostle Paul urged the believers in Rome to live their lives in service to God and each other. In that same way, he is urging us to do likewise, but it's not enough just to serve; God wants you and me to serve in love with genuine affection.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Love with genuine Affection” © 2026 July 23, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quit pretending

 

These days there are so many ways for people to connect remotely that we seem to have forgotten how important it is for us to connect in person.

We have stopped getting together like we used to, instead we’d rather make a video call than go pay a visit. We’d rather connect via social media than meet up socially for a meal.

We’ve become so dependent on our devices that we have forgotten how to connect from a place of genuine expression. Instead, everyone seems to be performing for the approval of some digital audience.

Human beings were created to be in relationship. First, Adam with God and the animals but then God recognized that “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him.” (Genesis 2:18 AMP).

And God created Eve as “a helper” comparable for Adam. The original Hebrew phrase, “ezrah negdo” means “helper opposite him” and implies a fitting partner.

Everyone needs a fitting partner, not necessarily a marriage partner in the romantic understanding but someone in your life who is able to balance you, keep you in check from heading off course.

In Hebrews 10:24-25 (AMP) it is written,

and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.

The fact of the matter is that people need people; needing others is neither a sign of weakness nor a burden. We were not created to live in isolation but to connect and be in relationship with others.

We are meant to build communities where people don’t feel that they cannot present their authentic selves, where people aren’t constantly auditioning for approval, where performing isn’t the standard, where people can come as they are, presenting the real version of themselves.

So many of us, for one reason or another, are living a significant part of our lives pretending for acceptance at work, at home, in school, even in church. There are too many church-goers who feel that they can’t be their authentic selves in church, not because they necessarily want to hide but because they are made to feel that they have to, so they create a church persona believing that the real them isn’t safe to show – that as they truly are will never be accepted.

It’s unfortunate that the church, once a safe space, has become a place of judgment where condemnation is the status quo so that visitors to the sanctuary don’t feel that they’ve entered a sanctuary; instead of a friendly welcome, they’re greeted with suspicion. That sense of community just isn’t there anymore.

Apostle Paul warned against being unequally yoked with unbelievers in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 but nowadays it appears that the danger to the unity and community of the church is from those who call themselves believers.

Beloved, calling yourself a Christian but not following Christ is being a spot in the love feast (Jude 12) or a tare among the wheat (Matthew 13:40-43) so I urge you to check yourself even if you don’t feel that you are a danger to the community in that way.

Inner excavation is always necessary from time to time because we, as Christians, have become so accustomed to pretending that we unknowingly slip off the path. Understand that the inner work does not automatically produce the change; you have to purposely and repeatedly practice.

In order to live the life in all its authenticity, quit pretending.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Quit pretending” © 2026 July 23, 2026