HYPOCRISY

Voltura Griselda Grotesqua

Ahhh, the wiles and woes of being human!  Hypocrisy is perhaps one of the most inherent traits of human beings.  It is one of the vilest traits of human imperfection.  Not to worry, even the best of us was labeled a hypocrite at one time or another.  One example was David, the king.  He was revered by many in his day but his human desire for Bethsheba, who was married, compelled him to kill her husband.   A number of preachers, pastors and priests commit horrific crimes against their wives and/or churches because of their uncontrollable weaknesses.

Being good is much more difficult than being bad, but we sometimes take it to another level and make more of an effort to LOOK good but with bad intent deep inside, instead of just having integrity.  We are all guilty of this as sinners.  We are so worried about looking pristine to the world that covering up the dirt or sweeping it under the rug makes more sense.  Let me tell you for sure that it doesn’t. 

Integrity lives a lonely life.  Integrity is adherence to a code of values: utter sincerity, honesty, and candor; completeness.  My personal definition of integrity is conducting myself in the same way whether alone or around everyone.  WYSIWIG (what you see is what you get).  Integrity is achieved by learning and becoming aware every minute of the day that God is watching your every move.  It is an ongoing practice into a habit of self-awareness.  It is not achieved in one day, but we can start today to just watch our own actions, our own tongues, our own thoughts instead of watching the actions, thoughts and words of the other person.  Jesus said it best.  It is better to be true to the ONE who has the power to throw you into hell after you die than the one who can physically kill you and can do nothing else after that. (Luke 12:4)  Personally, I am afraid… very afraid!  Why? Because one, eternity is a very long time and two, the heat in hell doesn’t even compare to the hottest day you have ever experienced.  Just the realization about the fact that God doesn’t lie, even if I haven’t seen hell, I’m not taking any chances.  So, no thank you.

This artwork depicts not the outside appearance of a hypocrite, but what it looks like inside.  It is a vulture that has evil intentions and its ugliness preys upon and kills our soul.  It is also hideous, but if it evokes fear, shouldn’t we just get rid of it and ask God to help us along the way?  Why not try?

Until my next rant…. Practice integrity daily and LOVE ONE ANOTHER!