Jeremiah 4:2 “If in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
then the nations will be blessed by him
and in him they will glory.”

This is a fascinating verse. It directly connects the faithfulness of Israel to the blessing of the nations, really to their salvation. When people who claim to belong to God, either Jews or Christians, fail to live appropriately to that claim, then those around them disregard them and the God they claim to serve. However, when they are living in an honest, active relationship to God, then those around them take notice and desire such a relationship themselves. Verbal evangelism is very necessary for many reasons, but if it isn’t backed up by an active relationship with a living God, then it is “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal,” to borrow Paul’s phrase. (1 Corinthians 13:1) People look at our lives, and rightly so. Privacy is important, but it isn’t an excuse for inconsistency between your “public face” and “private face.” Japanese culture has actually formalized that difference, with expressions that mean, literally, “what you set up in front of people” and “your true root.” Sometimes it takes time even for Christians to understand that’s not a Biblical way to live. Some of Jesus’ harshest words were for hypocrites, but hypocrisy can be hard to recognize when it’s institutionalized. We all practice hypocrisy to some extent, and the biggest danger is in failing to recognize that we’re doing it. We don’t need to go around dumping on people because “that’s the way I feel,” but we do need to recognize and live out the love of God. “Political correctness” has it’s roots in not wanting to offend, but it has been twisted to be, in many cases, total hypocrisy, and can sometimes block the truth from being expressed all together.

I have recognized the dangers of hypocrisy all my life, but at the same time I am very aware of the truth in the saying, “It’s easier to act your way to feeling right than to feel your way to acting right.” This whole issue isn’t a matter of feelings, but of obedience to God. I was a drama major in college, so I know a few things about acting! A major reason for the moral degradation in Hollywood is that people are in romantic roles with people who aren’t their spouses, and they start “acting” that way even when they aren’t on the set. As a pastor I am an example and role model to many, so I’d better be sure my life is consistent! If I desire that people receive the truth of God that I speak (and I certainly do) then I had better be living it out myself.

Father, You know better than I do that I have neither the moral nor the physical strength in myself to be fully obedient to Your Word, but You do. Thank You that I can indeed do it all through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) Help me be increasingly effective in communicating Your truth, so that the lies of the devil may be torn down and people set free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!