• Pastor Gerrit Mes of the AFM Pentecostal Fellowship writes:
The word ‘hypocrite’ today is aimed at people who claim to be religious but are caught out doing things they publicly condemn. We may stretch that to politicians or any other public figures who don’t ‘practice what they preach’. Who live by the rule of ‘Do as I say but not as I do’. Yes, that falls into the modern concept of hypocrite.
But originally, in Greek times, the word hypocrite was much more innocent in nature. It was used to point out that a person is an actor. All Hollywood stars could be referred to as hypocrites or actors. If the original idea of hypocrite is correct, we would all, in some way, be actors.
We all, without exception, hate hypocrites. We are deeply disappointed if someone we idealise is exposed as a hypocrite. But I wonder if there is a bit of hypocrisy in all of us. The word hypocrite is used 31 times in the Bible, often aimed at religious people.
But today we use the word too freely. If someone falls or fails, they are hypocrites. Falling and failing is not hypocrisy, but denying your imperfections is.
It is one thing to spot hypocrisy in others, but a very different story to admit it in ourselves.
Maybe I should conclude by saying, “Just be real, be you”.
• Contact Pastor Mes on 087 802 5752.
