‘“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.’ Matthew 7:3-5(NLT)
‘Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.’ Matthew 23:24-26(NLT)
‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.’ Matthew 15:7-8(NLT)
‘Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. ‘ Galatians 6:1-2(NLT)
‘If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. ‘ 1 Corinthians 10:12(NLT)
‘Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.’ Psalms 51:10-12(NLT)
‘“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.’ Matthew 18:15-17(NLT)
The problem with having a problem with hypocritical people is that it’s hypocritical. Think about it. Jesus said for us not to pick out a speck in someone else’s eye when we have a log in our own. Not to mention—pointing out the sawdust in your friend’s eye is a good way to end up with an entire two-by-four in your own.
The word “hypocrite” comes from a Greek word, hupokrites, which was used to describe stage actors and performers who wore masks. Sounds about right, doesn’t it?
So how do we combat hypocrisy without putting on a show?
Confronting hypocrisy starts by stepping off the stage, taking off the mask, and looking ourselves in the eye. We can’t very well help others with their hypocrisy until we deal with our own. Jesus had pretty harsh words for religious hypocrites who pointed out the sins of others all while covering their own.
How do we confront our own hypocrisy? It starts with confession. Admit your mistakes. If you don’t know what they are, ask someone who knows you well. Then confess to God and people you love. When we confess to God, we receive forgiveness. When we confess to others, God uses our relationships to bring healing. Remember the power of relationships?
How do we confront hypocrisy in others? We confront in person first, with grace, humility, and awareness of our own shortcomings. Pastor Craig Groeschel often says we don’t confront with the goal of being right; we confront with the goal of helping others to be right with God. Finally, we confront with prayer, knowing how easily pride could put us into the same situation we’re confronting.
Hypocritical people, overly needy people, critical people, and controlling people are so rarely just other people. When we see our own brokenness and realize we’re those people too, we can give Jesus His rightful place as Savior, and God can unleash His wonder-working power in and through our relationships. Because relationships are so often the ingredients and the recipients of God’s healing power in our world.
What now? Start somewhere. You can’t fix every problem in every relationship. Actually, you can’t fix any of it; that’s God’s part. Just pick somewhere to start. Will you start with controlling relationships, critical relationships, needy relationships, or hypocritical relationships? Who will you start with? What do you need to confess? Start somewhere and let God begin to transform you, your relationships, and as a result, your world.
Pray: God please show me where to start. Show me the broken places. Give me the strength to focus and the humility to receive Your healing work in my life. Amen.
from Relational Vampires