Just A Few Words - Hypocrisy

Just a Few Words - Hypocrisy

What you do speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you say. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

HYPOCRISY IS A TOUGH topic for those of us who get up every day with one goal: to be a walking, talking example of Christ and his love. It’s an uncomfortable subject because it seems so unfair. We’re the people trying so hard, yet we seem to be judged the harshest! Just let me do one little bitty thing wrong and my whole Christian witness flies out the door. It ain’t fair. I hate being judged by a different standard than the rest of the world. But then, when you think about it, we’re not the rest of the world.

Of course, I sin like everyone else. I have big sins and little sins and sins of every size in between. My medium-size sins consist of my three biggest character flaws: a lack of generosity, a lack of humility, and an overabundant need to feel significant. Any one of these can make me look like the poster child for hypocrisy. On days I fail to give spontaneously or hoard my time (my most precious commodity these days), I am convicted—even as I’m blocking out another section of my calendar! When my proud spirit or need for significance dominates a conversation, I am again so convicted. Even as the words fly out of my mouth, I hear my internal voice say, Here you go again.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)

In a twisted way, I love the fact that the Holy Spirit convicts me—over and over and over. He won’t let me off the hook. He tells me repeatedly that my actions must align with the truths of Christ and the fruits of the Spirit. That I am called to be better and act better than that.

Are your words and actions congruent? Or are you blowing your witness too? Listen to the voice. No, it’s not the ghost of Emerson; it’s the Helper.