December 1, 2016

HYPOCRISY?

Matthew 15:7-9

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Personal Challenge

It can be so easy to slip into the mode of being a hypocrite. I know that I must constantly watch how I live my life so that what I do matches what I say. And believe me, I miss the mark more than I hit it. Jesus asks that we be different than the world around us. He asks that we love one another, even those who are our enemies. He asks that we put Him first and that we give of ourselves and our abundance to those in need, such as the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the destitute. It is easy to say that I am a follower of Christ and then go on living my life as if I am the king sitting on the throne of my heart. This is what He was challenging in this passage. This is the ultimate of hypocrisy. It is an entirely different thing to live my life in such a way that I never have to say that I am a follower of Christ, but that everyone I meet in my life recognizes by my actions that Jesus is the King sitting on the throne of my heart. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!