"With it [the tongue] we bless the Lord and Father,
and with it we curse men who were made in God's likeness!
Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing.
These things, my brethren, ought not to be so."
James 3:9-10, AMP
This memory sent me back to November 1997. It was a time when I was feeling giddy because of all the wonderful things connected to the month of November -- things like the fast approaching end of the fall semester, autumn leaves, new holiday recipes, reconnecting with friends and family members, and my favorite holiday, namely, Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving brings with it memories of cooking with my sweet Grandma Cone who has gone to be with the Lord. If ever there was a grateful spirit, she embodied it. She touched everyone with her positive attitude, her thankfulness, her amazingly delicious pies, and her warm smile. She taught me many things about life. Yet, of all the lessons she taught me, the one that has stuck with me the most is the need for truthfulness in all my dealings.
So, it was on that beautiful but cold Tuesday afternoon that I remember taking some apples to her Covina home in order to help her with her baking in anticipation of the Thanksgiving feast to be held at her house two days later. That afternoon, she told me how hypocrisy is a filthy practice that has infiltrated the church and that, no matter how much it hurts, I must speak truth and reject all notions of deception. She told me,
"Lou, it is true that things are not always what they seem, but that should not be how you function. What you are inside is what I want to see all the time and so must the rest of the world. If you need to change, as all of us must, you can only change if what is inside of you is exposed."
I miss my grandma so very much!
As I think of hypocrisy, the musical term that comes to mind is enharmonic equivalent. Enharmonic equivalents are notes that are named or spelled differently in musical notation but produce the exact same pitch or sound. I am reminded of a musical moment that happened recently. A wonderful colleague of mine showed a passage of music to one of my students. It was an excerpt from a song I wrote called From Ashes to Beauty. The passage, though theoretically spelled in the right way, could be read more easily had I chosen to write it like the ordinary chord progression that it truly is.
I wonder how many of us are like that? We are one thing on the inside and another on the outside. We are one way at work and another at home. We speak malicious words against people behind their backs but quickly sport a smile when they are in our presence. We are "holy" on Sunday mornings and diving head first into a sea of wickedness as soon as we leave the church building. Quite often we go there even while in the pew.
Still, the sin of hypocrisy is not new to us. We are told that the level of deception was so high among the Thessalonians that the apostle Paul wrote,
“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way,
for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs
and the man of lawlessness is revealed,
the man doomed to destruction."
2 Thessalonians 2:3, NIV
I came across a speech given by Mark Twain to the Society of American Authors on November 15, 1900. In his speech, he addressed the two-faced life human beings tend to live. It goes like this:
“I am constructed like everybody else and enjoy a compliment as well as any other fool, but I do like to have the other side presented. And there is another side. I have a wicked side. Estimable friends who know all about it would tell you and take a certain delight in telling you things I have done and things further that I have not repented. The real life that I live, and the real life that I suppose all of you live, is a life of interior sin. That is what makes life valuable and pleasant. To lead a life of undiscovered sin! That is true joy.”
How I wish I could agree with Mark Twain! However, the honest truth is this: Leading a life of undiscovered sin could not be more bereft of joy. We may be happily enjoying anonymity but deep inside we know that sin hurts, pricks, pokes, and picks away at our souls leaving us extremely miserable in the solitude of our hearts.
Solomon speaks of that condition in Proverbs 28:13,
The Word of God further clarifies in 1 John 1:9,
That November afternoon, my grandma’s words bore into my soul and I confessed to her that I struggled to unveil my wicked heart to others. I told her that it felt too costly for me to let them see what, I was sure, no one wanted to see. I shared with her how I had never truly faced my own hypocrisy.
Gratefully, she helped me see that there was only once choice for me – the truth and nothing but the truth. In her words, she said:
“Lou, do you not realize that the only person whose opinion truly matters already knows the truth about you? So, is that not senseless to try to hide yourself from the One who sees your every move, knows your every thought, and hears your every word?”
Right then and there, I decided that I was going to be the person God made me to be and nothing less. It is true that there is someone who sees through me. Jesus, my wonderful Master, has eyes of flame. He knows and sees my true self. More importantly, He wants to transform me into a man who is free to live openly and truthfully. There is no need to hide anything because Christ has already made a public spectacle of Himself on the cross. It matters not what the sin is, Christ displayed it on His body when He was nailed on the tree.
Perhaps, some may think they are not hypocrites. Yet, have they ever slowed down on the interstate as soon as they spot a police car? Have they ever conveniently forgotten to go back to the cashier who gave them too much change? Have they ever sought to give the impression that they are better than they actually are? Have they ever found themselves omitting or adding small details in order to have a better story? Have they ever cursed people in their hearts and smiled to their faces? All those little traits relate to hypocrisy.
Christ wants us to confess and renounce those sinful patterns so we can experience the joy of righteousness. So, let us open our eyes and hearts. Let us wake up from the slumber of deception. Let us leave the sea of hypocrisy and walk in the light of truth.
O Christ, may we come to You daily! May You remain our guiding light in our quest for truth! Amen.
How I wish I could agree with Mark Twain! However, the honest truth is this: Leading a life of undiscovered sin could not be more bereft of joy. We may be happily enjoying anonymity but deep inside we know that sin hurts, pricks, pokes, and picks away at our souls leaving us extremely miserable in the solitude of our hearts.
Solomon speaks of that condition in Proverbs 28:13,
“He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
The Word of God further clarifies in 1 John 1:9,
“If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
That November afternoon, my grandma’s words bore into my soul and I confessed to her that I struggled to unveil my wicked heart to others. I told her that it felt too costly for me to let them see what, I was sure, no one wanted to see. I shared with her how I had never truly faced my own hypocrisy.
Gratefully, she helped me see that there was only once choice for me – the truth and nothing but the truth. In her words, she said:
“Lou, do you not realize that the only person whose opinion truly matters already knows the truth about you? So, is that not senseless to try to hide yourself from the One who sees your every move, knows your every thought, and hears your every word?”
Right then and there, I decided that I was going to be the person God made me to be and nothing less. It is true that there is someone who sees through me. Jesus, my wonderful Master, has eyes of flame. He knows and sees my true self. More importantly, He wants to transform me into a man who is free to live openly and truthfully. There is no need to hide anything because Christ has already made a public spectacle of Himself on the cross. It matters not what the sin is, Christ displayed it on His body when He was nailed on the tree.
Perhaps, some may think they are not hypocrites. Yet, have they ever slowed down on the interstate as soon as they spot a police car? Have they ever conveniently forgotten to go back to the cashier who gave them too much change? Have they ever sought to give the impression that they are better than they actually are? Have they ever found themselves omitting or adding small details in order to have a better story? Have they ever cursed people in their hearts and smiled to their faces? All those little traits relate to hypocrisy.
Christ wants us to confess and renounce those sinful patterns so we can experience the joy of righteousness. So, let us open our eyes and hearts. Let us wake up from the slumber of deception. Let us leave the sea of hypocrisy and walk in the light of truth.
O Christ, may we come to You daily! May You remain our guiding light in our quest for truth! Amen.
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