“Have you ever been in a situation,” Stan asked, “when you suddenly realize that someone is talking to you, but you hadn’t realized it before?”
“Lots of times,” I responded. “Like when my mind is wandering, I’m not paying attention, and things like that. Why do you ask?”
“I was reading in Luke’s gospel earlier this morning,” Stan replied, “and I saw something that jumped off the page at me when I realized Jesus was talking directly to me.”
“Talking directly to you? What were you reading?”
“Where Jesus was talking about how we need to take the log out of our eye so we can see clearly enough to remove a speck from someone else’s eye. But that’s not what jumped off the page.”
“If that’s not what jumped, what did?”
“How Jesus described who He was talking to,” Stan replied. “Jesus called the person a ‘hypocrite’.”
“So?”
“I had the sense,” Stan replied, “that rather than talking to some unnamed and unidentified person, Jesus was talking directly to me, calling me a ‘hypocrite’.”
“Oh,” I said. “Are you a hypocrite?”
“Yes,” he replied, “I am. Day after day we sit here and talk about what it means to be a Christian practicing discipleship. Then I leave here and identify more with what the apostle Paul wrote about doing the very things he didn’t want to do. The things he hated.”
“Where he was writing about the two natures we all have?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied, “And it seems to me that’s what Jesus was pointing out specifically to me when He said, ‘You hypocrite.’ He was trying to get my attention.”
“Attention for what?” I asked.
“To point out that if I don’t know and if I don’t admit or confess that I’m a hypocrite who is practicing hypocrisy, there’s not much chance I’m going to change. And I think this whole Christian faith walk thing is about change, about being transformed into the likeness of Christ!”
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Bible verses to consider:
You hypocrite, . . . . Luke 6:42.
For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. Romans 7:15.
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18.
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the truth of your word that convicts and shows me how you want me to relate to you. I confess that too often I do not read your word and I do not listen to your voice to see and to hear all you have for me. As a result, I don’t see and hear that you are speaking to me directly and personally. Please help me to be open to see and to hear what you have for me. Help me to apply all you say to how I live this life you have given me to live for you and your kingdom. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life with Him eternally so you can have a personal relationship with Him on this side of eternity? If no, why? What’s standing in the way? If you are a Christian who spends time reading and studying God’s Word and listening to His voice, how are you doing with seeing and hearing all He has to show and say to you personally. If you think you may be missing some things and would like to change, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 