October 16, 2009

“Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, for then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”

Everyone hates hypocrites. Most people have a sixth sense which allows them to “smell out” a hypocrite when they encounter one.

I’m fascinated with the success of Mitch Williams (the “wild thing”) as a sports analyst. He’s the one who threw the home run to Joe Carter in the 1993 World Series which cost the Phillies a championship.

One would think he’d be reviled forever in this city of rabid angry fans. But it’s exactly the opposite. The city loves him and so do I. He is simply honest. He tells it like he sees it and makes no excuses.

No excuses. He owns up. He admits failure and takes whatever blame he deserves. He doesn’t blame others, or circumstances.

I wonder if he’s not a personification of fans’ self perception when they are at their best. He gives each of us permission to own up to our own failures, admit them, come clean and move on.

In short he gives fans the possibility of becoming something other than a hypocrite.

The truth is that we don’t have a whole lot of options. Each of us fails every day. We either cover it up and act like we’re something better, which is ultimately hypocrisy, or we “fess up”.

Jesus, said don’t try to look like something you’re not. No one likes it in you and it’s a bad witness to others.

Don’t try to look godly even when you’re doing godly things. Don’t brag about your good deeds. Do them secretly.

God knows you inside and out. What’s real in you will sooner or later be revealed, probably much sooner than you think.