Gym Rats and Church Mice: The Peacock

In the church, this is the guy who carries his patent-leather covered Bible with his name and a fish stamped on the cover, who always wears a Christian t-shirt that less to do with Jesus as it does with raping a common logo and stamping something Christian-ese on it.  He talks the part, dresses the part, even plays the part, but at the end of the day, he’s all show.  He goes home and lives the rest of the week as a practical atheist, who may even believe there is a God, but isn’t compelled to live any differently in response.

Jesus told a parable of two men.  One who honestly sought God.  The other, who was all show.

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: `I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, `O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.” Luke 18:9-14 (NLT)

Don’t be the peacock.  That’s a gym rat and a church mouse that both places could use less of.