Read 1 John 4:20–21
Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20

When our hearts are confident toward God, there is no need for us to pretend, either to God or to other people. If we lack confidence with God, we will also lack confidence with God’s people. Part of the torment that fear generates is constant worry. “How many members do you have in your church?” a visitor asked the pastor. “Somewhere near a thousand,” the pastor replied. “That certainly is a lot of people to try to please!” the visitor exclaimed. “Let me assure you, my friend, that I have never tried to please all my members or even some of them,” the pastor said with a smile. “I aim to please one person—the Lord Jesus Christ. If I am right with Him, then everything should be right between me and my people.”

Immature Christians who are not growing in their love for God may think they have to impress others with their “spirituality.” This mistake turns them into liars! They are professing something that they are not really practicing; they are playing a role instead of living a life.

Something to Ponder
What is one act of love you could do for a person as an expression of your love for God?