Potpourri

Potpourri is described as a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant material. It gives of a gentle natural scent. It is often displayed in a decorative bowl or tied in small bags made from sheer fabric. In other words, it is dead, disconnected plant parts with pleasing smells meant to be on display as something decorative, attractive and pleasing. And so it is.

In some ways this description reminds me of “pretend” Christians or as some say “wanna be” Christians. I run into these pretenders frequently. You know them by their “fruits” but their fruit looks more like potpourri than the real thing.

First, they are often disconnected. This means that they get along without the grace of the church. Either they don’t attend or irregularly attend (Christmas and Easter mainly) and rarely do they spend time with other real believer’s, especially in Christian discipline. They are like the dead disconnected plant parts – they have no evidence of being “born again”; devoid of vibrant, growing plants or fruit.

Second, though they tell me they are a Christian, their particular lifestyle reeks of non-Christian odor. It is more that of a natural, worldly smell than the heavenly scent of a sanctified life. I do not notice the scent of the Rose of Sharon when I spend a few moments with them. It seems counterfeit or man-made rather than refreshing and regenerated supernaturally, reflecting the presence of Jesus.

Thirdly, the whole package seems superficial rather than reflective of the nature and character of Jesus Christ. They remind me of the emperor with no clothes in the fairy tale called “Emperor with No Clothes” by Hans Christian Andersen. They care too much about the temporal, the worldly and buy from those that “tickle the ears” false Christianity. They succumb to “false Christ’s and false prophets.”

In summary, they look the part, smell the part and pretend the part but in the end that’s all they are – counterfeit, disconnected, smelly pretenders without regenerated life, fruit and real hope. They’re Christian potpourri.

Unless you are engrafted into the vine of Jesus Christ by faith alone, you are none of His. Check your fruit. If it is not as a fruit should be (continuing to ripen, producing more fruit, nourishing to the body), then perhaps you’ve been duped.