Hypocrite or Human?

As some of you may know, we are back in church. I am really thankful to have a place to worship with other believers, with my family, and a place that makes us feel welcome. During praise and worship one Sunday morning, I was looking around and thinking how amazing it is that so many different people, with so many different stories, have come together to worship God, under one roof.

And I wondered how many of the Christians around me had ever been called a hypocrite for one reason or another. I know I have felt like one at different times in my life. Heck, I’m nine months pregnant and I’m not married. Talk about something that made it hard to walk back into church. But I told a friend some years back, that was pregnant and not married, “The only difference between your sin and theirs, is we all know exactly which sin you committed.” It doesn’t mean anyone else is less guilty, or less of a sinner. It just means mine is obvious and can be judged that much easier.

Thankfully, we’ve not had anyone throwing stones. In fact, everyone has welcomed us with open arms, prayed with us, and helped us grow in our walk with God.

So, back to the hypocrite thing…I know that there is a huge gap between knowing what is right, and doing it. It’s pretty easy to know the right thing, and many “right” things are more or less easy. But some are not. Some are down right hard, feel impossible, and we fail. And as Christians, there are people looking at us, expecting us to not fail.

So, how many Christians have been considered hypocrites, when really, they are just human? Saved by grace, sinners just like me, that are trying. They know many of the right things, but sometimes struggle to do them. They aren’t truly looking down their nose at anyone. They can walk back into church each Sunday, not because they know they are perfect, but because they know that God has grace for their mistakes.

What do you think?