The Year of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Matthew 15:8
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Jesus called it like it is. Many are those that can speak the right words, say the right things, and sound so devoted as to convince themselves and others that they have a heart for the Lord Jesus. But He knows. He knows that many times the words are camouflage for the truth that their heart is far from Him.
Jesus said something in Luke 6:45 that should be considered when thinking about words spoken in relation to what is in a person’s heart. He said: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. So, what is in the heart in abundance will be spoken by the mouth. Want to know what is in someone’s heart in abundance, listen to them speak.
But what does that truth have to do with today’s verse? Jesus said on one hand the mouth will speak from the abundance of the heart. On the other hand He said their heart was far from Him, but they spoke words like they love Him. Follow this carefully, if the heart is not close to Him, does not have Him reside there in abundance, the mouth naturally will not speak of loyalty to Him. If the mouth does it is made to do so. Look at it like this. Let’s say that a person has crookedness in their heart in abundance. They love to break the law, desire to steal from others, and only hope to find victims to defraud. If they were to say something like “I think every person should be honest, upright, aboveboard and always prefer others above themselves,” that statement would be contrary to the abundance of their heart. They would have to make themselves say that probably as a ploy to continue their felonious ways. This is hypocrisy.
So, to have one thing in the heart in abundance and yet continually speak the opposite is not being honest with oneself. And they know it, for a person to live like this means they know of their hypocrisy. More importantly so does Jesus. The life of a hypocrite is difficult, not so much because of the actions of others, but because of the internal strife between that which is in the heart and that which they must manufacture to cover up that which is in the heart. Certainly Proverbs 13:15 is true; …the way of the transgressor is hard. Hypocrisy always breeds strife between the heart and the tongue. A self-imposed difficulty of one’s own making which will ultimately wear down a person into self-degradation.
Until Next Time,
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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