Jesus was rough on Pharisees: ‘People look at you and think you are saints, but beneath the skin you are total frauds’ (Matthew 23:28 MSG). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening? 1) Follow Jesus’ example. He spent His life ministering to the hurting, the forgotten, the lost, and lonely. 2) Keep in mind that even though you’re a Christian, you will still struggle in certain areas, and don’t try to act like you ‘have it all together’. 3) Ask God to reveal behaviour patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart oriented. 4) Surround yourself with transparent people who encourage you to be real and correct you when you need it. Marybeth Whalen writes: ‘The painters painted the wall leading downstairs…A week later I discovered, while the wall had been repainted, the habits hadn’t changed. The kids were still dragging their dirty hands behind them, making what was white and clean, grey, and dirty. Like that wall, if I’m not careful I can cover up what’s there…wear the Christian tee shirt, carry my Bible, smile like everything’s great, and talk a good game about my walk with the Lord. But deep inside the ugly habits are waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy. I can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the whitewash and ignores the dirty stuff underneath.’ So, be real.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.