Hypocrisy.
Its something that other people do isn't it. Or something that the Pharisees do in the Bible, but not us.We often subconciously say to ourselves that we've just about got it nailed or start to think we're right most of the time, and we'd never really be hypocrites. We get complacent, and its a subconscious thing that happens without our realising it.
Well today I realised that's certainly true for me.
It’s ironic, having been talking in my last post of Jesus as a way of life, a lifestyle choice, that today I was humbled in the most powerful and deep-rooted way ever, and by a non-Christian at that.
Without going into detail, basically there is a key part of my life which I'd put down as a minor priority, when actually it’s a big priority. My work. For so long my life has been outside work, my faith has been outside work, something I do everywhere else. Work was what I did to live and didn't matter as much.
Today that changed. I realised that was all wrong. I realised that I'd seriously mucked up.
In fact, doing my job well is a fundamental part of being a Christian.
If I'm a Christian that means I give 100% commitment and energy to doing every part of my life well, giving it my best - including my work. God gave me this job, God is with me watching me at work. When I'm at work people know I'm a Christian and how I work and treat people is going to impact people's view of Jesus as well as their view of me.
Doing that aspect of my life well is key to being a Christian - for all of us.
It hadn't been for me.
That has to change. That is going to change for me. Starting right now.
I knew this before, but today realised in my heart that if we're not taking one important area of our life seriously, if we're not giving it our full attention, effort, concentration and commitment then we aren't honouring God with it.
If we don't take how we treat others seriously. If we don't take church seriously. If we don't take our private times with God or our Bible study seriously. If we don't take how we treat our bodies seriously. If we don't take our attitudes seriously. If we don't take our jobs seriously. If we think any of those doesn't involve God and it doesn't matter how well we do them.
Any of that means that we aren't involving God in it.
It means we're probably not orientating ourselves around God, but around what we want. It means we're consuming God. Taking what we can get and leaving the tough stuff about life behind.
That's not being a Christian. That's being a hypocrite.
That's what I've been doing. That has to stop.
I'm writing this here so its on record. People who know me, please keep me accountable in this.
But everyone who reads this, think about your life carefully.
What important areas of your life are you not giving your full attention and commitment to? Who really is your God, what do you really orientate your life around?
Be honest.
If God's the most important thing to us, then things like work, healthy living, treating people properly, church and forgiving and serving others are all things we should be giving total commitment to and working hard at. With all our energy, time and resources.
Not just taking what we can get and leaving the rest behind. That's consumerism and the culture of yourself as the most important thing in this world and that's not the way to live.
Its certainly not the way I want to live.
I know I will still make mistakes, but the one mistake I hope I never make again is ignoring the fact that Jesus and being a Christian needs to impact me wherever I am, whatever I'm doing and whoever I'm with. I need to try my best to be the best I can in whatever I do or say, in all the different parts of my life.
Becuase Jesus is involved and wants our best in all of them.
For us to become like Him, its simply something we have to do.
