Robbing Himself of His Own Faith
I once knew a gentile who claimed to be a believer in G-d.
One evening, I left a few bills on my night table, with the purpose of seeing how things would play out. At a very late hour, when all others were in far-off slumber land, I noticed this man enter my room, and, with no qualms whatsoever, take the money and slip it into his pocket.
The next day, I brought up the subject of returning lost objects. The man agreed with everything I said, all the while claiming to be a believer. I could not take his charade a moment longer, and I finally told him that I knew the truth. I revealed to him that I witnessed him taking my money the previous night. In the black of night, he had proven his true colors. He was light years away from any sort of belief. I had tested his faith, and he had failed miserably.
True faith in Hashem translates into mitzvah observance, in public as well as in private. It means believing that Hashem supervises the world at all times, and nothing is hidden from Him. This faith is challenged when the temptations of the Yetzer Hara seize power over him. If he clings to the mitzvot in spite of his temptations and personal interests, he is the true believer. But if he falls into the snare of the Yetzer Hara, he has proven that his faith is shaky and liable to fall, not having been planted on firm ground.
