“The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom]; The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].”

Proverbs 18:4 AMP

We often hear the phrase “Talk is cheap!” Nothing could be further from the truth. Today’s verse reminds us of this very fact. No where could this truth be better exemplified than in the arena of politicians! At election time they fill the airways with everything that they believe that people want to hear. When elected they are like clouds without rain! So it is when we begin to talk about the religious community. Living in a country where religion is the law, I often see the disparity between what people say they believe and what their life demonstrates. I am constantly asked why I have not converted to the local flavor after being here for so many years. My answer is always the same, “Don’t tell me what you believe…show me!” “If there is a better way of course I want to know, but I don’t see any change or improvement in your life to demonstrate that!” Just like the politician, religious people say one thing but actually mean something else. I love the way King Solomon describes them, “copious and difficult to fathom!” When life doesn’t match with words, a man walks in deception. Jesus hit the nail on the head when He confronted the pharisees about their hypocrisy.

“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed). 26You [spiritually] blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate [examine and change your inner self to conform to God’s precepts], so that the outside [your public life and deeds] may be clean also.

27“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets and decorate and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill up, then, the [allotted] measure of the guilt of your fathers’ sins. 33You serpents, you spawn of vipers, how can you escape the penalty of hell?” Matthew 25-33 AMP

Did you see it? “So you testify against yourselves…” Notice that it was their behavior validated the inward condition of their hearts! The word hypocrite is the Greek word meaning “actor or one who interprets.” An actor is playing the part that was written, interpreting what emotions and feelings need to be added to make a scene real. That is exactly what a religious person does. Kittle in his theological Dictionary of the New Testament puts it this way,

“The art of the actor is that from the moment he dons the mask his whole conduct on the stage should be in keeping with his allotted role.” Keeping up with allotted role is a difficult thing over the long haul. Eventually what is inside manifests itself on the outside! Jesus told us that,

“After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said, “Listen and understand this: 11It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.” 12Then the disciples came and said to Jesus, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard you say this?” 13He answered, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be torn up by the roots. 14Leave them alone; they are blind guides [leading blind followers]. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 15: 10-14 AMP

Of course, the reaction of the hypocrite is disbelief that we are not buying into their façade! Clearly the end of their performance is destruction! Just as our opening verse tells us, their words and life and not understandable. Please remember that the Scripture tells us that,

“You are our letter [of recommendation], written in our hearts, recognized and read by everyone.3You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4Such is the confidence and steadfast reliance and absolute trust that we have through Christ toward God.”

2 Corinthians 3:2-3-4 AMP

We can be assured that if Christ is in us then our light will show through us and from us! Let me ask you today, “What are people reading from life’s story?” Have a blessed day. Pastor Ken