When I was younger I wanted to be a magician. I was fascinated by Magicians like David Copperfield, Doug Henning, and Siegfried and Roy. In elementary school, I purchased a paperback book during the Scholastic Book Fair called Spooky Magic. The book had a variety of “magic” tricks, using sewing thread, fishing line, memorizing cards, and easy sleight of hand tricks to fool an audience… up close even!  I would practice and then put on my performance of “Amazing Magic”. It was quite comical as I look back on it, and this is how it would go down.
I was very calculated in choosing the most opportune time to showcase my astonishing feats of magic. This would be when we had friends or relatives over, a sold-out performance, that’s the way I looked at it. I remember the adults; they were the best group in the audience. They would ooh and aah with astonished looks on their faces, clapping and asking for more. My sisters however were a much harder audience to win over. They consistently, even upon being scolded by my parents not to, would loudly and mockingly disclose the trick to everyone in the room, exposing me as a Charleton, a shyster! I liked performing for the adults. Even though they could see through my attempts to fool them, I felt as though I had them bamboozled, but it was all “smoke and mirrors”.

 The phrase “smoke and mirrors” has traditionally been used to describe the performances of magicians. A magician uses sleight of hand, making you think that what you are seeing is happening, and then, Abra Kadabra, the balloon bursts revealing a dove, a man is sawn in half or the lady in the box vanishes. All of these remarkable acts are merely tricks to placate the audience and give a sense of worth and credit to the magician.

We read in the Old Testament where Israel did such a thing. The people had taken to idol worship. Serving fully the false gods of the culture, which had stolen their hearts away from God. They still performed their religious activities, duties, toward God.  They gave, they sang and prayed, but it was all “smoke and mirrors”

God easily saw through their “smoke and mirror act”, and in Isaiah 1:13 God spoke these words:

“Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations – I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.”

In other words: how can you, my chosen people, live in and enjoy your sin, never truly repenting and then come to worship me? Israel was deliberately putting on a religious show for God in a vain attempt to placate him. Yet God saw clearly through Israel’s attempted parlor trick. No amount of “smoke and mirrors” could hide Israel’s true love, themselves.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we too, often dress up and play “Christian” in front of our audiences, including God. But just remember this, those who know you best see through your smoke and mirrors.

 What kind of smoke and mirror act are you involved in?

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”  Luke 6:46