Hypocrite

1 Timothy 1:1-2,12-14; Psalm 16 You are my inheritance, O Lord; Luke 6:39-42

"You Hypocrite!"

Strong words from Jesus in today's gospel.

"Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."

The reality is this. We all have short comings, faults, weaknesses. We all a history of falling, failing, and rising forth.

The one thing we all have in common is imperfections. I know, for some, it is hard to imagine being imperfect.

But all delusion aside, imperfections exist in us.

The failure to recognize our own imperfections and shortcomings simply means we are pretending to be who we are not. This is exactly what being a hypocrite is all about: acting and pretending.

Why would we dote on the other person's shortcoming and failings without first recognizing our own short comings and failings.
Operating out the awareness of who we really are can lead to greater compassion, concern and care giving.

When we see the faults of others, we should stop and recognize our own faults.
WE all pretend we are perfect and beyond reproach. IT is this acting and pretending that mocks the mercy of God.


God puts up with us. It suits us just fine when He does put up with us. God puts up with a lot. Should we not follow his lead.

This is not to say we can't be critical but we need to be critical tempered and tethered to the mercy we have received and the mercy we desire. Only then can we truly see.

Only then can we act appropriately.

Today when someone is really annoying or when their faults seem to be more than you can bear, take a step back, take a deep breath and think about times yo have driven people up the wall. Think about your shortcomings, especially those things that you speak with God about regularly. Think about how God in is infinite patience puts up with us and has put up with us.

Find strength there.

Through that lens then look upon your fellow man/woman.

See how they change and come into focus as one in need of the very Mercy we ourselves have received.