Be careful not to insult your own intelligence

 

To make progress...we have to own up

A Desire For Honest Christianity On TV

I recently saw a very capable, very smart leader of a large Christian organization responding to questions on a TV news program about the moral failures of Josh Duggar, the reality TV personality. Until recently, Josh Duggar was employed by a Christian organization which promotes Christian family values.

The leader of the Christian organization has been interviewed on national media outlets many times. He is a pro at this type of thing and he did a good job on the TV news program. He didn’t say anything wrong. During his segment on this secular news show he even shared the gospel and spoke of how Jesus offers grace and forgiveness to those who have sinned, which includes all of us. Because this man knows Josh, personally, he admitted he was disappointed and grieved as the facts of Josh’s behavior have become known.

As the interview unfolded, however, there was a point at which it almost sounded like the leader of the Christian organization was attempting to offer a defense as the interviewer continued to ask questions. And I found myself thinking this: I wish the leader of the Christian organization would just say, “What Josh did was wrong. It was sinful. I have no defense for his actions.”

The interviewer—based on actual questions she had already posed—would have probably then said something like this: “But Josh had a job in which he was basically lecturing others about moral values, that is hypocritical.”

Then the Christian leader could have simply answered: “Yes, that was hypocritical.”

Completely own up to the truth and all the implications that follow from the truth. Go ahead and admit the hypocrisy. Call it what it is: hypocrisy.

Sometimes honesty is embarrassing. (Believe me, I know this from the painful firsthand experience of my own sins.) Christians are called to be honest, anyhow.

I think honesty is refreshing. I think many people have actually come to have a great appreciation for honesty—even if they maintain a tremendous dislike for the person who is being honest, they still appreciate the honesty. This is especially true in these types of media contexts, because we all hear vast amounts of “spin” and many times the spin is so obviously disingenuous and nonsensical that it is just plain insulting. Some of the spin we hear these day displays such contempt for the audience who is receiving the message that I literally find myself shaking my head, dumbfounded. (By the way, that is not what the leader of this Christian organization was doing. I’m just ranting a little bit. This happens, occasionally, when I get myself worked up. Don’t worry it will pass.)

As Christians we are called to openly, frankly acknowledge the truth. In other words, let the truth be known for exactly what it is and then walk with God, trusting Him as the implications of the truth take place. This will be incredibly difficult sometimes. To put it mildly. We will be humbled. But it will be right. And our willingness to be honest in this way will communicate something significant about the reality of God in our lives in spite of our failings.

The Pride And Arrogance I See In Others Is Also True of Me

Occasionally when I listen to other preachers I can detect pride or arrogance in the person and I’ll think to myself, “Tsk, tsk.  This guy is supposed to be honoring and glorifying Jesus.  His ego is shameful.”

When this has happened, however, there have been several times when an unwelcome realization has hit me.  What I have come to realize is that I am so sensitive to this quality in others because this pride and arrogance is also true of me. 

I hate when that happens.

Jesus said something that definitely applies to me, in this regard.  He said, “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.”  Matthew 7:5

Watch Out For "Legalism"

I’ve noticed that the really strict, unyielding, legalistic people that I know, often, have areas of life where they do not apply their own demanding standards to themselves.  It’s irritating and unfair when people oppress others with rules that they do not intend to observe.  Jesus criticizes this kind of legalistic hypocrisy (see Matthew 23).  Be careful when presuming to apply rules to others.

Being A Fallible Human Being Who Makes Errors Is Not The Same As Being A Hypocrite

If a person truly does not believe in God but he acts like he does, for whatever reason, that’s hypocrisy.  Think of it as “faking it”.  However, if someone who really and truly believes in God falls short and sins, that’s not “hypocrisy”, that’s called being a weak, fallible, human being, who stands in need of a gracious God.  The difference has to do with the heart.  And only God knows someone’s heart.