Matthew 6:16-18 "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Pretentious Holiness. One of the few things that Jesus really dwelt on in his ministry. He spoke about aiding the poor and the homeless and the alien. He spoke on loving your neighbor, He spoke on seeking after the Father, and He spoke on being pretentiously righteous. He would take the pharisees to task over this over and over and over again. I earnestly think that He did it because He really loved them and wanted them to understand what true righteousness was, what true holiness was, what true Godliness was, and what true love was.

We as a church body are severely guilty of this same sin. We drive around in our cars with the fish logo and a bumper-sticker from our local Christian radio station. When we are with other believers, we posture and strut saying things and doing things that shows just how much we are seeking after God. We throw ourselves into the church events, we mow the church lawn, we clean the windows, we donate towards ministry opportunities, we go to seminars, we teach seminars, we teach Sunday School and yet we seem to miss the whole idea. It is not what we do when others are watching, but what we do alone that is important. It is not how much church stuff we do, or what our outreach is. What matters is are we going about everyday life constantly the same? Are we helping the poor? Do we volunteer to mow the grass or edge the sidewalk at the homeless shelter? Do we help at the soup kitchen, and then say nothing about it Sunday morning while we “fellowship” with other believers in the foyer over coffee and cookies? That is what matters.

We are lacking in this. We practice a pretentious Christianity when we should be living out to the best what Christ asked us to do. What can we do now to be a more true believer and stop the unintended hypocrisies of our daily walk?

O Love, thy sovereign aid impart
to save me from low-thoughted care;
chase this self-will from all my heart,
from all its hidden mazes there;
make me thy duteous child that I
ceaseless may "Abba, Father" cry.