Hypocrisy--a detour

Captain’s Log, Stardate 03.12.2005

Okay, before I start on my manuscript, I checked email and surfed a few blogs. Mick Silva’s blog listed TheOOZE, which is a rather neat site. I’m not sure how to describe it, except that they use a lot of abbreviations I don’t understand and have a modern view of the Church, or rather, what it should be.

It’s a little more political than I’m comfortable with, only because of my woeful ignorance. There are a lot of people who comment on how many churches don’t fit their needs, which is true. It’s hard to find good churches these days. The church body tries, but people are flawed or they just don’t understand. Not a crime, but makes for a very biased community of believers within that particular building.

People also comment quite a bit on hypocrisy among Christians, another true and hot topic. Maybe I’m too laissez faire about it. My thinking is that people are human, Christians forgive, God convicts. Hypocrisy will always be with us.

Don’t get me wrong, I get as steamed as anybody when I hear about hypocrisy, especially among people who profess to follow Christ (the Person, not the foofoo feel-good idea). But everyone does things they don’t realize are wrong or that they later regret. God desires mercy from us. Sometimes I think He allows these people and events to teach us to get off our sorry butts and practice the forgiveness we preach.

My point? Yes, I agree, there are hypocrites within the church. Aren’t we also? My biggest problem with Holden Caufield is that he never seemed to realize he was the same sort of person he ranted about. Or maybe he eventually did (it’s been a while since I read it), but I didn’t walk away from Catcher in the Rye with that impression.

Yes, I agree there are hypocrites in the church. What are we doing about it? Do we confront them in love? Ignore them? Say nothing and just get all fired up on our blog? Struggle with a better attitude toward them, wrestle with forgiveness, fight our natural tendency to bash their face in?

Yes, I agree there are hypocrites in the church. I think it’s all in how God prompts us to respond.

I’m reading Proverbs. I was always afraid of this book because there are just so many things I don’t understand, but God is showing me that if I seek wisdom, He’ll give it to me. I won’t understand everything Solomon wrote, but the Holy Spirit will enable me to understand what I need to know.

Anyway, Proverbs 20:22 -- “Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”

I thought of this verse when I read about hypocritical Christians. It’s God who torments the heart, not our indignant offended pride.

I’ll be the first to admit I hate two-faced people and it upsets me like rush-hour traffic. I don’t forgive immediately or even ever, sometimes, but I aim for Godliness like a toddler trying to make a three-point basket. I think God is pleased by the effort, and He gives me a boost to make that shot once in a while.

Wow, this post was deeper than I intended. Oh well. Back to your normally scheduled program.

Writing: God granted me time today to work on my manuscript when I thought I would be visiting a friend. I was tempted to write on Sunday to make up for it, but decided not to. It was tough, because I feel pressure to finish this thing before Mt. Hermon, but I decided to honor God. He’s always honored me when I do it to Him.

Well, the visit got postponed until tomorrow. I wonder if He was testing me? Probably. So now I have time to lay some rather bad writing down. I just suffered through a scene bordering on “too stupid to live,” which depresses me but I figure I can fix it later.

Diet: Since I haven’t eaten yet, I’m doing good today. :-) Maybe I’ll go running with the dog this afternoon.

I just read through the past few weeks and realize I NEVER have good diet days. No wonder I can’t lose weight. The good thing about whining on my blog is that I’m forced to be honest and try to keep myself accountable, and it also forces me to see my public confessions and recognize trends.

I’ve been realizing that my calorie count is actually okay, it’s just that my physical activity level isn’t up to speed. Since I’m lazy, the calorie count needs to be lower. But I love eating too much. I’ll need to get off my sorry rear and increase my metabolism.

New goal: go running at least twice a week. There, in black and white for the entire world to see. Or rather, the few friends I have who bother to read this blog. :-)