Hypocrites

Lk. 6:39-42

It is a strange phenomena indeed that allows a person to see a fault or even faults in someone else's life when they can't see a much bigger fault (s) in their own life. Pride uses such clever subterfuge! Jesus calls this person a hypocrite. If this is the case, and it is, then all the hypocrites are not just in the church since this behavior cuts across all humanity. But for the Christian it is particularly heinous! 

We are filled with the Holy Spirit of God, forgiven and shown God's love, and yet we can't extend this same forgiveness and love to others. Instead we become self-righteous and condescending looking down on others and seeing their faults without ever looking in the mirror. James diagnoses this person as someone who looks in a mirror without seeing the reality of what they are. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. Truly this is the hypocrite. He has forgotten what he looks like because he is so focused on what others look like. He is so busy being the 'holy spirit' for others that he does not see what the Holy Spirit is revealing in his own life. What a word for all of us! There is in all of us this same flaw if only in varying degrees. So our only recourse: Be in tune with the Spirit. Seek the face of God and be ever so attentive to what He says to us about us!

Father,

Keep my eyes focused on You not on others. Help me always see what I look like through Your lens, and then help me to confess and repent. Help me to draw close to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen