“Hear instruction and be wise, and do not distain it.” Proverbs 8:33

Hypocrisy

Although I grew up in a home infiltrated by harsh words, accusations, and a generally critical view of “outsiders” (meaning anyone who didn’t agree with us, look like us, or act like us), I do not blame my early home life on the fact that I still act and think like this from time to time. I take full responsibility. I am an adult, capable of seeing my own faults, owning my mistakes, living with grace towards others. If I have lowered myself to attitudes and a lifestyle that are not in keeping with the name of Christ, then the fault is mine.

But we don’t always know we are being critical in our hearts. We may not see how judgmental we are being. We might not understand the high standards we hold others to, while really believing we are doing right. This is hypocrisy—to think one way about ourselves, yet live or speak another way, or hold others to a standard to which we do not hold ourselves.

Hypocrisy is usually the result of self-deception. We hate it when someone points it out in us. We feel weak, foolish, and usually angry at the person or situation that made it so clear. We don’t want to look at our own hypocrisy; we want to think of ourselves as fully mature, spiritual, strong women. We want to turn away from people who see hypocrisy in us. It’s as if they can see inside of us to the part that is hidden—the part we don’t know exists.

Though we don’t like to be confronted with our own hypocrisy, it is far more dangerous to be blind to it. 2 Timothy 3:13 tells us that “imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” I can’t recount all the times I have prayed that I would not be deceived by Satan, by this world, by media, by the culture, by my own thoughts, and by my past. We need God’s Spirit to light the path of righteousness for us. We need a good, long, lingering look into the mirror of God’s Word that accurately reflects our own heart. We need to ask Him to reveal our wrong thinking so we can think and see as He does.

God, give us discernment! Open our eyes to see our OWN hypocrisy. Let us not be deceived; let us not deceive others by a closed-off heart and mind. We desire to live by Your truth about ourselves and others. Amen.