One Sunday a man after church services fussed about the sermon on the way home. He also griped about the traffic; he complained about the heat; and he made a big fuss about how late lunch was served. When lunch was served, he bowed and prayed, giving God thanks for the food. His son heard and watched this all the way from church services. As they began to pass the food he asked, “Daddy, did God hear you when we left the church and you started fussin’ about the sermon and about the traffic and about the heat?”   Dad said ashamedly, “Well, yes, son, He heard me.” The boy asked, “Well, Daddy, did God hear you when you just prayed for this food right now?” The dad said, “Well, yes, son, He… He… He heard me.”  His son asked, “Well, Daddy, which one did God believe?”

What a sad example the father presented to his son. It showcases what afflicts individuals, families, and the church today -- “hypocrisy”. Hypocrisy is defined as the distance between who we claim to be from who we are. It is a mask which identifies one on the outside in one situation then acts another way elsewhere. We call them “pretenders”. People live one way acting like all is well but are not committed, genuine, or true. What is the reason for such behavior? Is it part of the nature of man?  Is it a chemical imbalance?  Understand, God is observing this!

Jesus revealed in Mark 7:1-23 hypocrisy’s cause, outward signs, and defiling results. It is in this passage Jesus will teach us the inside of a person should match the outside of the same person. What we are in our heart is who we really are!  Outward lifestyle may look pretty but inwardly lies an ugly, corrupt, and sinful heart.

One of the first signs of hypocrisy is complaining. There is a difference in sharing your pain, struggles, desolation, or confusion to God and murmuring about what you may be entitled to have. Psalms and Lamentations describes many difficult experiences brought to the Lord with intent of drawing near to Him to learn, submit, and grow spiritually. This attitude does not represent what the Pharisees and scribes were doing in approaching Jesus. In v.1-4, they complain about a tradition not being observed. They were offended at an injustice by the disciples not washing their hands before they eat. Although they question Jesus over the issue, He turns the tables on them. He shows them their complaining is a sign of holding to a tradition and failure to honor God (v.6,7). Jesus pulls away the mask of their irreverence and traditional “rights”. Their lack of commitment to holiness and righteousness is what Jesus uncovered. They may have “faked” others, but the Lord was not deceived…                   

More next week…