Like many of our own stories, the Biblical story of Jacob began with struggle. He grows up always trying to live up to his brother, seeking any power and privilege he can gain. Like Jacob, when we don’t feel loved as we are, we pretend to be someone we’re not. Many of us have gotten really good at pretending to be someone we’re not. We pretend because we don’t want to feel week, so we put on a mask and build a façade. But with Jesus, we don’t have to pretend anymore. With Jesus, we can stop pretending to be strong and finally admit our weakness, so that we can allow God to work in our lives authentically.