Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

(Matthew 23:27 NIV)

Emanuel Ninger was a talented artist who lived in the late 1800s. What no one realized for years was that he hand-painted counterfeit U.S. currency.  Unlike typical counterfeiters who used printing presses or photographic methods, Ninger painted each bill by hand — often with pen, brush, and watercolor.  His reproductions were so detailed and artistic that they fooled banks and merchants for years.

Around 1896, Ninger was finally exposed.  A bartender noticed that a $20 bill Ninger paid with began to smear when it got wet, revealing it had been hand-painted.  The authorities were notified, and when they raided Ninger’s home, they found his art supplies, brushes, and several nearly finished counterfeit bills.

His story became famous because of the irony: he was such a skilled artist that he could have made a fine living legitimately — the counterfeit bills were works of art in themselves.  Emanuel Ninger had the skill to make an honest and prosperous living, but instead he chose to create counterfeits which cost him his reputation and his freedom.

That story describes a lot of people today who work just as hard at crafting counterfeit versions of themselves. They carefully manage appearances, polish their image, and project a version of righteousness that isn’t real. They may look generous, humble, or devout, but it’s all a performance.

Jesus confronted such behavior among the Pharisees when he said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Pretending to be godly takes a lot of energy, but it never produces life. God doesn’t ask us to act righteous; He calls us to become righteous through his grace.

Consider this: are you spending your time trying to maintain an image, or to cultivate a genuine relationship with God?  The difference between the two is the difference between a counterfeit bill and a priceless masterpiece.

Prayer: Father, help me to be real before you and before others. Create in me a genuine love for righteousness and honesty. May my life truly reflect your image — not a counterfeit one.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day