“If you’re faithful in small-scale matters, you’ll be faithful with far bigger responsibilities. If you’re crooked in small responsibilities, you’ll be no different in bigger things.” (Luke 16:10 VOICE)
How can you spot what is real and what is fake? Careful examination is key. Look for spelling mistakes, omissions, mismatches, etc. For example, a brand name might be spelled incorrectly, or the packaging might be flimsy, or the operating manual might be missing, or the patterns on a pair of shoes might be mismatched. A clever forgery can be difficult to spot for those who are not deeply familiar with a product. For example, most of us probably do not have the expertise to identify a fake Van Gogh painting. Yet, if the person selling you the painting has sold other counterfeit products, there’s a good chance that this is fake, too.
Similarly, identifying pretense in people requires careful examination of details. Do not just buy what is being presented. Look for incongruencies and omissions. Observe how they handle small-scale matters. Are they devious in little things--when they think no one is paying attention? Notice how they treat people who are not beneficial to them. Are they kind and considerate to those who cannot further their agenda? Listen for what they omit from conversations. Beware of misleading suggestions. Watch out for gaslighting--a form of psychological manipulation in which victims are coerced into questioning their reality and sanity. Why should you care about pretense? Doesn’t everyone present themselves in the best light possible? There is a difference between revealing your true self selectively to the appropriate people versus projecting false images. Little deceptions are the gateway to larger corruption. Misinformation can lead to changes in perception and behavior. Learning to spot what is real from what is counterfeit is an essential part of wisdom and personal integrity.
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