The Imposter

 

Jack looked suspiciously at what I’d handed him, turned it over, and then threw it to the floor in disgust. He wanted no part of it. He knew it was a fraud.

The “thing” was a stuffed Winnie the Pooh. When Jack was a newborn, his aunt gave him an identical Winnie the Pooh. Before long, the stuffed animal, known in our house as “Pooh-Pooh,” became a nighttime requirement. When he was upset or hurt, he wanted his Pooh-Pooh. And his favorite part of the animal was a tag on the backside. He liked running his fingers over that tag with one hand, while sucking his thumb on the other.

My husband and I worried about what would happen if we ever lost Pooh-Pooh. Would Jack be able to sleep? Would he cry endlessly for his beloved animal? So, like any good parent, I searched online, where I found the identical stuffed animal. I paid much more than it was worth to have it shipped to my home.

One day, the original Pooh disappeared, and I was pleased as punch that I had a backup. I rushed to get Pooh-2 out of safekeeping. Unfortunately, Jack—even at the tender age of two—knew the difference. This was not his Pooh-Pooh. It was an imposter.

How did he know? Because he loved his Pooh so deeply. He had spent countless hours with him, and he knew every square inch of that stuffed animal.

Jack with his various Pooh Bears. He now likes them all, but only one is the real deal in his mind...the faded large one that has the red stitching on the back side.

This situation made me think about how often we try to fill the God-shaped hole in our life with imposters. When we know the peace and love and comfort of Almighty God in an intimate way, the “fakes” never satisfy. Oh, they might give us temporary pleasure, but in the end, they are not the real thing.

Do you know God like that? Spend time with Him, and you will never want to settle for anything less.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.” John 10:14 (NLT)