A Painful Look in the Mirror

“See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:24

The other day I read a tweet from someone I follow on Twitter that said:

“It’s easy to see the Pharisees all around us, but do we ever see the Pharisee that lives inside of us?”

That stepped on my toes . . . did it step on yours? I am your girl if you’re wanting to look for spiritual fault in someone else, but looking in the mirror is much more painful.

We twenty-first century Christians really like to give the first century Jewish Pharisees a hard time. I’m sure you’ve heard the complaints that most people (even Jesus) have with the Pharisees. Things like them being more concerned with the law than with love or their preference of sacrifice over true worship.

I’ll give it to you, the Pharisees definitely had some unresolved heart issues . . . but don’t we all?

It’s believed that on the Tuesday of the Passion Week, Jesus really spent some time teaching and ministering to the people who were following Him. The Pharisees were always intrigued by the crowds that Jesus attracted, so they were never too far behind Jesus’ followers. Well, on this day, Jesus chose to speak some very blunt words to this group of men, words that would probably embitter the Pharisees even more.

Listen to some of the statements that Jesus directs right towards this group:

• “They do not practice what they preach.” Matt. 23:3b
• “You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.” Matt. 23:15b
• “You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” Matt. 23:24
• "You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Matt. 23:25b
• “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.” Matt. 23:27b
• "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?” Matt. 23:33

Can we surmise that this was a group of people that Jesus was none too happy with? The intensity of His language shows us exactly how He feels about someone whose life is filled with hypocrisy. In fact, prior to almost every accusation He makes against them, He point blank calls them “hypocrites“!

So, let’s go back to the beginning and take some time to examine our own lives and how we might be worthy of receiving some of Jesus’ accusations.

• Do you strive to make everything look A-OK on the outside, yet the sinful thoughts you frequently think are immeasurable?
• Do you tell your children the things to steer clear of (like profanity, alcohol, or racey television), yet partake in them yourself?
• Do you invite friends and co-workers to church, yet gossip about the people or activities of the church in their very presence?
•  Do you place all of your focus on the one sin that you don’t commit, yet fail to see the multitude of ones that you do?

I think if we’re all honest, we all have some pharisaical blood running through our veins. Let’s all heed Jesus’ warnings and begin doing some self-examination of our heart. If anything in your heart resembles that of the Pharisees, please make that a matter of fervent prayer. Let Christ transform your heart from a hypocritical Pharisee to a hope-filled follower today.