Fake vs Real

Are you the real thing? In our world today there appears to be many fakes and sometimes it does take a fair amount of discernment to be able to “see” what is real or fake. For instance , they are heaps of fake stuff in the market.... fake hand bags are everywhere. I personally find it hard to tell between a fake LV bag and the real thing. Sometimes the only time I know whether a bag is real or not is to see who is carrying it for instance... when Sim Nee carries a Gucci I know its genuine ....not the one bought at Petaling St. However, this shouldn't be the criteria for separating the real and the fake but somehow... for certain things one can pretty much hit the right assessment especially if you know who the person is.

Often clothes carry fake brands. A friend warned us never to buy fake Polo shirts from Thailand. They bleed when you wash them. Imagine the catastrophe when you wash them together with your other clothes in the machine. Teruklah!!!!

Just to narrate a really funny incident. Philip seldom or should I say hardly ever shop for fruits. On one occasion, he decided he would drop by the fruiterer and get some grapes. He saw a bunch hanging in the shop and he told the guy that he would like that particular bunch . The guy ( I presumed was dying from laughter) told him politely that the grapes were fake ones and the real ones are in the crates. Philip's lament was that the fake ones look so real and he was fooled.

So likewise in this world , there are fake and genuine people. Philip and I have met our fair share of fakeys. I am sure you know what I am talking about . Their actions and words often contradict, and their talk are usually what both of us termed as cheap talk. What we mean by this is, they don't mean what they say at all. In circumstances like these, it is hard to form true friendships. Everything is so superficial and politically correct. We are usually very guarded in such settings. Fakeys also work very hard to look genuine and sometimes they really overdo it. It's like the manufacturers of the fake products working hard to make their stuff look real. Having names which sound almost like the real stuff ( Does Pig-epal donuts sound familiar to Steven??) or the logo slightly altered or patterns that look similar. Some of course have the audacity to do an exact copy.

However, we are glad that God has provided us with a bunch of people who genuinely love and care for us. We can let our hair down and be ourselves . We salute you for being REAL and for loving us so much.
This special group of people make us laugh till our sides split, they are so kind to us, they pamper us, they give to us with a cheery heart, ... I am sure you know who you are. True friendship grows well in relationships that are continually watered with God's love.

So back to the question... “Are you real ?” We cannot fool God. God always sees the heart. We can flatter, say all the right stuff but if our heart is in the wrong place.. then we have a lot to answer to God. Even as I type this, the Holy Spirit reminds me...that I must be real and guard my heart against having hidden or selfish agendas. May we be sensitive to His Spirit so that what comes out from us are a true reflection of His love.