Hot Dogs and Hypocrisy

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” –James 3:17 (NASB)

Not only was yesterday the celebration of the birthday of our nation, it also was the day when one of our great American pastimes was celebrated—Yes I am speaking of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Each year, the best eaters in the world get together and see how many hot dogs and buns they can scarf down in 10 minutes. If you have ever watched this, it is one of the most disgusting things you’ll ever see. However, in the pre-competition interviews, one of the contestants, who in 2007 downed 49 hot dogs, revealed his real profession. He is actually a chef for a food service that specializes in preparing healthy meals for those who are trying to diet! Now, imagine the surprise you would have if you knew that this man who downs 49 hot dogs in 10 minutes is the man preparing food so you could lose weight! Sounds like hypocrisy to me!

Today we take a look at the last trait that James teaches us comes from wisdom. The NIV translates it positively as ‘sincere,’ while the NASB treats it in a negative (and slightly more accurate) way as ‘without hypocrisy.’ I am convinced that the toughest thing for any ‘religious’ person to do is to keep from being a hypocrite. This was the biggest downfall of the Pharisees and the other religious leaders in Jesus’ day. If you want to hear how he addresses them, take a close look at Matthew 23.

So, how do we live a life free of hypocrisy? I see two simple ways. The first comes to mind immediately, and that is to simply live a holy life. The word hypocrite is an old Greek phrase used when an actor would put on a different face. We have to realize that we are not who we used to be. We are different people by God’s grace. The second way seems contradictory, but it really is not. Not only must we live a holy life, but we must also be very humble and honest about our shortcomings. Yes, we are new creations, but the old self keeps coming back around. We cannot act like we are perfect. We cannot demonstrate self-righteousness. We have to be willing to let people to see us for who we really are. This humility is refreshing to a lost and fallen world.

Holiness and humility. They may seem like they are worlds apart, but they really go hand in hand. In order to live the holy life, we must practice humility. Anything else is just religion that both Jesus and people who are genuinely seeking God despise.