A Hypocrite Like Me

Matthew 23:27-28
Jesus said, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”


Holy Instructor and Informer,
Sometimes Your teaching really hurts and today is one of those times. I’m reminded just how much I’m like the Pharisees. I have a lot of head knowledge that hasn’t been transferred to my heart because there’s a stiff neck in between. I’m often so busy trying to do the right thing that I’m ignorant of the most important thing - my relationship with You. Forgive me for trying to look good outwardly, when inwardly my heart is a wrecked and rotting tomb.

Because I love and adore You, I want a humble heart like Yours. With an impartial heart, I’ll drop all pretenses in order to treat others with dignity and respect. Gently shaped by Your hands of compassion, my double-standards will vanish beneath a generous flow of forgiveness. Twisted and turned toward You, the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith--will matter more to me than redundant religious activity.

My callused heart has long been contaminated by criticism and condemnation. Disinfect it with a strong solution of kindness and compassion. My corrupt mind has been polluted by the mega media’s negative worldview. Sanitize it with a potent potion of prayer and praise. With a pure heart and clean mind my neck won’t be so stiff and sore. Instead, I’ll be supple, sincere and sensitive, satisfying You the Teacher and Transformer of my soul. Amen.


We’re all hypocrites capable of putting on a brilliant display of many seemingly harmless evils. Noticing the shortcomings of others, we skillfully twist our views, turning them into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of prayer and praise.

God’s Word says, “If you think you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors.” Romans 2:1,2 MSG

Turn toward Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to replace your hypocrisy with Christlike humility and honesty. With a radically changed heart, the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith--will matter more than religious activity.