TENSES

You probably remember from your grade school days about the three primary tenses: Past, Present, Future. Someone has said that perhaps we should add a fourth tense, namely, Pretense!

Remember how in Mark 12:40(b) Christ talked about the scribes who "for a pretense make long prayers?"

Much of many Christian's lives -- or should I say so-called Christian's lives -- is for show, to impress others, to exalt and glorify self. Ego building, in other words. Their lives are just a facade.

Of course, there's the other side of the coin. Many Christians hesitate to participate in public worship such as public testimony or public prayer. They use the excuse that they're afraid of what others will think, that they don't know what to say or how to say it.

We certainly don't want to be guilty of adding a fourth tense, especially pretense, to our worship services. But let's not be guilty of withdrawing to the opposite extreme, either.

A good rule to follow is found in John 3:30 which says, "He must increase, but I must decrease."

As well-balanced Christians, let's not ignore either the "increase" or the "decrease."

Preacher's Kid