He told me he enjoyed fishing and did it frequently as a kid, but had not been out in years. Honestly, he did not have to tell me.

He walked up carrying a Zebco 33 with a big red bobber, a weight, and an oversized hook. I watched for a couple of minutes as he set his depth at about two feet, pinched off a piece of nightcrawler, and flung it into the lake.

I knew his level of expertise just by looking.

People do the same thing with their faith. They tell me they have attended Church since childhood, enjoy a good sermon, and have been Christians for many years. Yet their words, actions, priorities, and lifestyle often reveal a very immature faith.

They do not have to tell me where they are spiritually. Most of the time, I can tell just by looking.

This is not about superficial judgment or profiling people. It is simply an observation. Just as there is a noticeable difference between a casual fisherman and a seasoned angler, there is also a noticeable difference between a shallow faith and a mature one.

You can know all the right Christian phrases. You can own all the right gear. You can even look the part. But a closer examination reveals the difference.

You may be able to convince some people with an appearance of faith, but you will never fool the Lord.

Mature faith is always visible.