We had a special presentation at the school where I was principal; the parents were all invited, and the children were ready to perform. Yet one young lady seemed distraught that one of her parents was absent. I came to find out that the parent was outside in the parking lot. I made my way outside and spoke to the father.
“ Your daughter is about to perform; don’t you want to see her?” No, I’ll wait right here. Why? I asked. I don’t go to church because it is full of hypocrites! The school was located in a church because it was a Christian school. Then he began giving me a list of how hypocritical Christians are, and I couldn’t disagree because many of the things he said were valid. Then I said, Then you should feel right at home. In other words, this is why we go to church: we recognize our shortcomings and failures and know we need a savior to save us from this world and ourselves. He looked at me and wheeled his way into the church.
In the church, we can find ourselves saying all the right words with the appearance of righteousness, and our fear is of man rather than God, and we need correction. This man had a sober understanding of the church, seeing that there was gossip, backbiters, and divisive people all in the church, some of whom were and are. The gospel confronts the individual with the truth of their sin, the high cost, and the love of God for us displayed. There will always be those who come who give lips service, those who stumble, and those who play the part. The difference is those who look to the cross cannot stay the same because of the truth and love they find displayed. The church is a mixed multitude. Our goal as a body of believers should constantly be confronted with truth and love while being sober of our shortcomings (Matthew 18:15)
“until we all reach unity in the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13
By doing so, we will give less lip service and fear God with a holy reverence.
I pray to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Therefore, I rightly represent Him in a broken world with broken people and am being made whole.
The man failed to see that we are a work in progress. We are being saved (2 Corinthians 2:15), but in the end, he was there for his daughter.
Focusing on others’ faults can be a way to avoid looking at our own flaws and engaging in self-reflection.
Setting realistic expectations of the church recognizing that it is a community of people who are all learning and growing can help avoid disappointment to cultivate a more positive experience. Remember that we are striving to be “Christ like” and still human. “They will know we are Christians by our love!”
Matthew 7:3-5
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
I didn’t have a church upbringing. My father saw his pastor at a bar and because of that stopped going. He told me that since the guy telling him how to live wasn’t living right, then he would not go again.
As I got older, I treated Christians poorly because of what my father had put in my head. After my grandfather died, I started to question life and why does it even matter if death is all there is.
A friend saw my depression and invited me to youth group. I heard the invitation message week after week, but refused it over and over. I didn’t want to be a hypocrite and give my father even more proof of failed religion.
I finally realized that if i waited until I was perfect, I would never accept Jesus. At one point I just surrendered and I’m glad i finally did.
This is a common excuse for non-believers to avoid giving Christianity a chance (claiming that Christians are hypocritical). Even though this is probably just an excuse not to address the sin in one’s life, it still gives people an excuse. This should motivate us to represent God as best we can at all times and show love to all people.