WHERE THEY BELONG

Once I asked an appliance repairman to come to church with me. “No,” he responded. “The church is full of hypocrites.”

“Great!” I responded. The man was startled. Continuing, I said, “That’s exactly where they belong. Let’s join them. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

If I understand it correctly, a hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another. Or as a friend once said to me, “A hypocrite is a person who does not walk their talk. They profess what they do not possess.”

Many who do not want to attend church say the reason they refuse to do so is because the church is full of hypocrites. For as long as I can remember that has been a frequent excuse for many. As I see it, it is a great reason for them to attend! They already know the difference between the saved and the unsaved. The saved are expected to behave like Jesus and the unsaved person, who says he sees hypocrisy in Christians, already knows what is expected of him if he turns his life over to God for salvation.

We need to extend a warm welcome to those who use “the hypocrite excuse” as a reason not to attend church. Jesus said that He came to call sinners to be saved. Those who believe that they are already good enough will have a difficult time admitting they are sinners. But the hypocrite already knows he is “one!”

Prayer: Lord, help me to live a life that will be an example, not an excuse, for people to seek You. May I live my life consistent with the example of Your Son, Jesus! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today:      For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:10