A catchphrase which sprung up in the early nineties, the concept of fake it till you make it gained momentum through the self-help, personal development, life coaching and motivational speaking channels.
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Rooted in a more traditional idea of role play the purpose of “fake it to you make it” is to imitate confidence, competence, and an optimistic mindset, with the hope that it will lead to the realisation of that imitation in one's life. As with all fads, this philosophy also slipped into the church with prominent ministers using the catchphrase for claiming promises in Christ whilst waiting for a personal breakthrough.
Needless to say, I was saddened to hear this pseudo quasi-rhetoric.
Why take this so seriously I hear you say?
I often remind my son that lies are the building blocks of a false reality. The more you lie the more you create a world which sooner or later becomes a presupposition you are enslaved to.
And guess what! The truth always catches up to the lie! At the heart of the 'Fake it till you make it' philosophy lies the false premise that we control our reality.
That life is a stage and we can be the Director, writer and actor performing and reaping success through the applause (attention) of men.
It suspends the now as temporary and projects substance on the future as permanent. It places emphasis on the outer man over the inner man. Playing out a role which refuses to address the inner thoughts and behaviours of the man in the mirror.
So what has been the outcome of this in society?
Accepting a fake ideology has lead to a fake self-image, followed by fake clothes, fake photos, and you guessed it fake news streaming through our social media. It's got so bad that sourcing the truth is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
It isn't surprising that depression is on the rise when we have educated people to become actors in an elusive dream. Each time waking up to their reality even more depressed and weakened by their delusions of grandeur. Welcome to the world of me myself and I.
Do you like what I’ve done with the place” Agent Smith!
No wonder we have ended up with an 'Only God can judge me' culture.
So what does the bible say?
Contrary to the philosophy of “fake it till you make” the bible does not support the glorification of self, the prioritising of the outer man and the individual's control of destiny. Our Lord addressed the notion of self when he stated: Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Read Matthew 6:27
Understanding the nature and propensity of the carnal man to glorify self and seek power and control he admonished us to bear our cross so that we might not become reckless and abuse his grace.
Contrary to the world the kingdom of God places emphasis on cultivating repentance by addressing the inner man in order to produce tangible characteristics witnessed by all.
The kingdom also empowers us to be captains of our souls in the present whilst handing over the power of the future to the Lord’s sovereignty. Matthew 6:34
So what is the outcome for citizens who embrace the fake it till you make it philosophy?
The impact on citizens who embrace such a philosophy is a world of hypocrisy and political correctness. Swept along by the tide of popular opinion and a growing unwillingness to go against the flow. The outcome, becoming lukewarm whilst losing their eternal souls for gaining a temporal world.
Luke 12:3 Sums it up with a warning to us of a people who faked it BUT didn't make it!
For king and for country…
