How do I avoid hypocrisy? That is, how do I live my life increasingly to please God rather than people? Even though my predominate and growing perspective is to please God, I still struggle with the desire to polish my public image. I try to keep that desire in check by publicly confessing my sins. If I am teaching about temptation, I might share my struggle to think (and say) unkind words about my son’s coach who gives my son little playing time. (Doesn’t he understand he is coaching a future NBA star?!) Or if I am encouraging husbands to develop a Christ-like love for their wives, I might confess that I watched a three hour football game when I knew Cathy needed help with the housework. Whenever I teach God’s word I make it a point to share at least some aspect of my own battle to live out that truth.
My sole goal is to turn people to the true physician, Jesus Christ. Bernie Schock doesn’t have any answers. When I maintain that perspective, I don’t worry about my public image. I leave my public relations in God’s hands.
2005/09/26
2005/09/19
Hypocrites, Part 3
How, then, do I know if I am a hypocrite? There are three questions that I ask myself to determine whether I live for man’s approval or God’s approval. First question: How hard is it for me to say “no”? If pleasing people is paramount, I will agonize over every “no” and probably say “yes” to far too many requests. But if I am concerned first about pleasing God, I will be able to risk others’ disappointment: “Sorry, I can’t help out with the youth group. I’m committed to teaching adults how to study the Bible.”
Furthermore, I ask: How do I respond when I am criticized? In a recent class one student’s evaluation stated: “If someone held an opposing viewpoint, Bernie sort of ran roughshod over the argument and moved on.” But another student gushed: “Bernie’s openness for people to speak their own thoughts and beliefs really brought the class together. I loved this class; great learning experience and non-judgmental.” (Can you believe these comments were from two students who took the same class?!) If the condemning comments of that disgruntled student get under my skin and stay there like a bad case of chiggers, it may tell me that the opinions of others’ are too important -- and make it difficult to proclaim the prickly parts of the Bible.
Finally, I ask: how do I respond when my failures become evident to others? Do I labor to explain and justify my behavior? Do I blame others for my sins? “Well, sure I was snippy with you. But you had been hassling me all afternoon.”
Furthermore, I ask: How do I respond when I am criticized? In a recent class one student’s evaluation stated: “If someone held an opposing viewpoint, Bernie sort of ran roughshod over the argument and moved on.” But another student gushed: “Bernie’s openness for people to speak their own thoughts and beliefs really brought the class together. I loved this class; great learning experience and non-judgmental.” (Can you believe these comments were from two students who took the same class?!) If the condemning comments of that disgruntled student get under my skin and stay there like a bad case of chiggers, it may tell me that the opinions of others’ are too important -- and make it difficult to proclaim the prickly parts of the Bible.
Finally, I ask: how do I respond when my failures become evident to others? Do I labor to explain and justify my behavior? Do I blame others for my sins? “Well, sure I was snippy with you. But you had been hassling me all afternoon.”
2005/09/11
Hypocrites, Part 2
What does it mean to be a hypocrite? Whenever I ask this question to my students, the invariable answer is something like: “Someone who says one thing and does another.” But as I explained in my last post, no one (except Jesus) has a perfect match between words and deeds.
Jesus described a hypocrite: “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them.” (Mt.6:1) Later, Jesus explained that those who make a show of their giving, do it “to be honored by men.” Jesus made it clear that a hypocrite is motivated by the applause of others. (This is one of the reasons why a hypocrite is often a beast in his home -- kids don’t give parents standing ovations!)
On the other hand, the righteous person desires to please a Father “who sees what is done in secret.” He understands that many truly righteous deeds receive little public recognition. As a result, he is willing to put God in charge of his public relations.
I don’t believe my friend who left the ministry (see previous post) was a hypocrite. Though he was imperfectly living the truth, his life goal was not to win the approval of others. Though he needs time to work on his own life, I don’t think he needs a major redirection of his life. I have confidence that the God who began the work in my friend’s life, “will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Jesus described a hypocrite: “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them.” (Mt.6:1) Later, Jesus explained that those who make a show of their giving, do it “to be honored by men.” Jesus made it clear that a hypocrite is motivated by the applause of others. (This is one of the reasons why a hypocrite is often a beast in his home -- kids don’t give parents standing ovations!)
On the other hand, the righteous person desires to please a Father “who sees what is done in secret.” He understands that many truly righteous deeds receive little public recognition. As a result, he is willing to put God in charge of his public relations.
I don’t believe my friend who left the ministry (see previous post) was a hypocrite. Though he was imperfectly living the truth, his life goal was not to win the approval of others. Though he needs time to work on his own life, I don’t think he needs a major redirection of his life. I have confidence that the God who began the work in my friend’s life, “will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
2005/09/06
Hypocrites, Part 1
A friend of mine recently left the professional ministry explaining that he could no longer teach people what he was not experiencing himself. Had he been a hypocrite the past 15 years of his ministry? He believes that he has been. I’m not so sure.
As I listened to this broken friend I began to pray that God would give me a response that might give him hope. I told him that all teachers’ experience falls short of the truths they proclaim. I teach men to love their wives -- I am still frequently nettled by Cathy’s small failings. I teach people to trust God in their troubles -- but I still too often try to solve my problems without consulting God. I instruct people to give thanks in all things -- but I still complain when we have had several weeks of unseasonably cold weather. Do these failings make me a hypocrite? No. They make me a sinner. God is working in my life and I am moving toward the truths that I proclaim. I am a hypocrite only if I try to cover up the disparity between my life and my teaching.
As I listened to this broken friend I began to pray that God would give me a response that might give him hope. I told him that all teachers’ experience falls short of the truths they proclaim. I teach men to love their wives -- I am still frequently nettled by Cathy’s small failings. I teach people to trust God in their troubles -- but I still too often try to solve my problems without consulting God. I instruct people to give thanks in all things -- but I still complain when we have had several weeks of unseasonably cold weather. Do these failings make me a hypocrite? No. They make me a sinner. God is working in my life and I am moving toward the truths that I proclaim. I am a hypocrite only if I try to cover up the disparity between my life and my teaching.
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