Six ways to look godly while not growing your faith in 2014

This time last year, I mentioned six ways to look godly while not growing in your faith — and then spent 2013 battling them, falling for them, and finding several other ways, too. So here, for 2014, are six more ways to look great while doing little…

1. Multitask your Quiet Time

Every day, head off to a quiet place in your house with a Bible for half an hour. It will really encourage anyone you live with, and set a great example. And half an hour is a very long time. A brief read of the Bible, a quick Lord’s Prayer, and you’ve got about 28 minutes left for thinking through some work issues, or writing a mental shopping list, or considering where to go on your next vacation, or even doing some serious meditation with your eyes closed.

2. Ask for prayer without praying yourself

You’re humbly dependent on God for all things. It’s just that this way, you can delegate your humble dependence to others while you get on with life. Plus, by sharing prayer requests in this way, others know you are humbly dependent; and they find out about all the unseen ministries you’re part of.

3. Confuse talking about application with actually doing it.

It takes humility and godliness to accept correction and challenge, so make a point each Sunday of telling someone (preferably someone different each week) how the sermon applied to your life and how you need to change. Then don’t. Maximum effect, minimal effort. It’s the thought that counts...

4. Only do ministries that are noticeable and enjoyable

For some reason, when our service is something we enjoy anyway, it hardly seems sacrificial at all. And serving others is so much more pleasant when those others notice what we’re doing for them.

5. Refuse to accept encouragement

Whenever someone does thank you or mention an area they think you’re growing, reply that you don’t really think they’re right. You’ll sound modest, and the person encouraging you will feel the need to encourage you all over again. More praise to fuel your image, while scoring good humility points.

6. Rearrange the Christian books on your bookshelves.

Last year, #6 was “Buy Christian books and put them straight on your bookshelf”. This year, you can save yourself some money by simply rearranging the ones you bought last year. After all, only really seriously godly Christians read books twice. Leave a few scattered around your house, preferably open.