The Atrocity of Appearances

"Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness." -Matt. 23:28 NLT

We live in a day where appearances are everything. We spend hundreds, even thousands annually in keeping our washboard abs, our french nails, and "20-something" looking skin well into our 50's. The right hairstyle, smile, handshake, and suit does more to close a business deal today than the business plan itself. Meet a group of people for the first time and after you leave they will probably talk about how you looked more than anything else.

Matthew 23:28 finds Jesus in the middle of a sharp discourse of reprimand toward the religious leaders of his day. He cried out against their need for attention and honor. He called them righteous looking hypocrites...and he did so over and over.

You can almost see the disgust on his face and hear the comtempt in his voice. He was pointing out the atrocity of appearances....he was pointing out that these "religious" leaders were missing the point altogether....and leading others astray with them.

Look in our churches today, most are filled with what look like righteous people. I wonder though how some of those "righteous" people fair behind the closed doors of their homes after church.....Does neglected Dad retire to the bedroom with a bottle of vodka (his only true friend) to watch a ball game alone? Does self-centered Mom rush to the mall after lunch to grab those shoes she's just got to have?....has to have them so bad in fact she uses grocery money to acquire them.....and what of unloved teenage Sam? Does he sneek to his room to view the latest porn downloads?.....

Oh my.....time for evening services,.. already?! Back to church, back to looking like righteous people......Everywhere you go you will find people who hurt;... they need help, they need mercy, they need hope....some of them sit next to you in church and look like righteous people.....

Why does Jesus cry out against appearances?....Because he knows appearances kill those for whom he died. It is no different today...