Shiny on the Outside, Hollow on the Inside, When the Words Don’t Match the Walk

The First Step 👣

There’s a certain glow that catches the eye these days. It's loud. It's polished. It trends fast. You’ll find it on podiums, in posts, and across platforms. People wearing faith like a spotlight, holding microphones that say “Jesus” but speaking in ways He never did. It’s not always hateful. Sometimes it’s just hollow. Sometimes it’s shiny enough to fool even the sincere.

But lately, I’ve been asking a simple question when I see it: If Jesus were sitting in the crowd, would He recognize Himself in what they’re saying?

That’s the spark. That’s what made me pause. And maybe it's what brought you here, too.

The Pebble in My Path🚶🏽‍➡️

Here’s the discomfort I can’t shake.

When Jesus walked the earth, His words had weight. But His actions made them real. He didn’t just talk about compassion. He touched lepers. He didn’t just preach humility. He knelt and washed feet. His message and His life were inseparable.

And yet today, I keep seeing a version of Christianity that sounds strong but feels hollow. That quotes verses but ignores people. That holds up the Bible but doesn’t reflect the heart behind it.

How did we get here?

The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were experts in appearances. They had the verses. They had the rituals. They were seen as the moral elite. But Jesus called them “whitewashed tombs” spotless on the outside, but empty on the inside.

And I can’t help but wonder: how many of today’s spiritual influencers, voices, and movements would Jesus say the same thing about?

The pebble in my path is this, when someone’s words about God are louder than their love like God, something’s off.

The Compass🧭

One of the most powerful truths about Jesus is that He didn’t just deliver sermons. He lived them. He wasn’t trying to impress religious leaders. He was busy healing outsiders. He didn’t come to sit on a throne but to hang on a cross. He spent time with the overlooked, the misunderstood, the judged, the rejected.

He loved people with no disclaimers.

Jesus was kind, bold, patient, and piercingly honest. And His life was the loudest sermon.

Today, it’s easy to get distracted by charisma and credentials. But Jesus never asked us to follow stage lights. He asked us to follow Him.

You’ll know who truly reflects Him by what they prioritize. Not their followers or fame. But whether they forgive. Whether they show mercy. Whether they carry peace into chaos. Whether they include those the world shuts out.

Integrity is when your faith walks as loudly as it talks. When what you post matches how you love. When your spirituality isn’t just a story you tell, but a story you live.

The Open Trail🛣️

So how do we know what’s real?

Start here: watch the fruit, not just the filter.

Ask yourself, does this bring me closer to love, or deeper into fear? Does this person live what they preach? Do they help me see more of Jesus, or just more of them?

The world doesn’t need more flashy faith. It needs faithful people.

People who care more about serving than being seen. Who sit with the hurting. Who listen more than they shout. People who live with such quiet integrity that others see Jesus without needing it shouted at them.

And if you’re wondering where to begin, just go back to the Beatitudes. Jesus gave us a blueprint: Be poor in spirit. Mourn with others. Be meek. Hunger for justice. Be merciful. Be pure in heart. Be peacemakers.

Those aren’t just nice ideas. They’re the path. The one Jesus walked.

And the one we’re invited to walk, too.

Stay barefoot. Stay honest. Stay close to the ground.

—Barefoot Gospel👣