Settle in: Take a deep breath. Turn off notifications on your phone if you can. Ask God to gently uncover any areas where pride or pretending have taken root. Ask him to replace them with humility and truthfulness. Let this be a moment of spiritual honesty, telling yourself and God the truth about who you are.

Thought starter

Pride says: “I’m fine. I’ve got this.”
Pretending says: “I’ll just keep the mask on.”
Jesus says: “You don’t have to pretend—I love the real you.”

Living by truth means letting go of appearances and embracing truthfulness. Here’s what we’ll learn in this Quick Quiet Time:

• God doesn’t bless the mask. He transforms the heart beneath it.
• Honesty invites healing.
• Humility invites forgiveness.

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Read:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”

Matthew 23:27 NIV

Mic drop moment:

Jesus calls out religious leaders for pretending to be righteous while hiding sin

• Their behavior looked good on the outside, but their hearts were corrupted by selfishness.
• “Whitewash” is a metaphor. It’s most commonly used to describe concealing, glossing over, or covering up faults, errors, or wrongdoings to make something or someone seem better than they are—like painting over an old fence rather than repairing it.
• It’s an attempt to hide something bad you did so that people think you’re a good person.

In the real world:

Imagine you broke your mom’s favorite vase. 

Instead of telling her, you quickly glue the pieces back together and put it back on the shelf, hoping she won’t notice. You are trying to “whitewash” what you did so you don’t get in trouble.

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If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

Galatians 6:3 NIV

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:7-9 NIV

“All who do evil hate the light and will not come to the light, because it will show all the evil things they do. [21] But those who follow the true way come to the light, and it shows that the things they do were done through God.”

John 3:20-21 NCV

Truth bomb:

Pretending prevents closeness and blocks us from receiving God’s forgiveness.

• The Bible warns us that we can lie to ourselves about truth and be in denial.  
• We need to be honest with ourselves and others.
• God’s grace and forgiveness are accessible only when we are honest about sin.
• Honesty brings closeness in our relationships with God and people. Sometimes we pretend because we are afraid people will reject us if they know the truth. But the opposite is true; honesty brings closeness. Pride brings distance. 
• Spiritual maturity isn’t about looking strong. It’s about being honest.

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Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:10 NIV

Pride leads only to shame; it is wise to be humble.

Proverbs 11:2 NCV

“…All who make themselves great will be made humble, but all who make themselves humble will be made great.”

Luke 18:14 NCV

The God who is highly honored lives forever. His name is holy. He says, “I live in a high and holy place. But I also live with anyone who turns away from their sins. I live with anyone who is not proud. I give new life to them. I give it to anyone who turns away from their sins.

Isaiah 57:15 NIrV

Lightbulb moment:

God cares about a humble heart that changes, not a proud heart that tries to be perfect.

• Humbling ourselves means admitting our sins and weaknesses to God and others and asking for help. It means admitting that we are not perfect.
• When we humble ourselves, God lifts us up—not to impress others, but to walk in freedom.

In the real world:

Think of your life like a house.

• If the walls are painted but the foundation is cracked, it won’t last.
• Pride and pretending are cosmetic fixes.
• Honesty and humility are the structural repairs.
• God wants to rebuild you stronger from the inside out.

Write it down:

• Write down one truth you’ve been avoiding.
• Write down one way you can be more honest and humble this week—with God, a friend, or yourself.

Closing prayer:

“God, I don’t want to live behind a mask. Help me to be real—with you, with others, and with myself. Strip away pride and pretending. Teach me to walk in humility and truth. Rebuild my heart with your love, and let my life reflect your love. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.”

Bring the inspiration with you

Save this phone wallpaper to remind you to be honest today!