Daily Devotional Day 66

At times, our spiritual mentors are like the wizard in The Wizard of Oz. We have a need and like the wizard, they are behind a big curtain trying to help us in our dilemma. Like the wizard, they have a lot of smoke and noise but have no more power than Dorothy and her friends. They are natural men and women like us with a hope for what they need. In the movie, we see that each character already had what they needed and wanted. They merely required the right person to show them. They needed to be shown, not only that they already had what they needed, but also how to use it.

Rather than applying the actual cure, true spirituality and a relationship with God, we have mentors handing out placebos to make us feel secure in the church. What is a placebo? It is the medical term for a treatment that relies on our belief of its power. It has no real curative or palliative power. It works because psychologically, we believe it will work. Sometimes people are just satisfied with the comfort of a placebo because they are not willing to pay the cost for what would cure them. It is often the same in church life.

What are some religious placebos? Positions in church leadership, affluence, and accolades can act like placebos. These measurements of our spirituality are given to us by those who are in a position of influence and power. They are like the good wizard. They make fig leaves for us like the little badges that the wizard gave each character.

This false reassurance will cover our need, at the same time will eventually mislead us to believe we have arrived at our destination, that we are approved of God. Our true plumb line is the life of Christ. Christ in us and us in Christ. Anything else leaves us empty. We need the real cure, not religious placebos.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the truth about your progress. Ask Him to prune away the placebos in your life.