Pride and Hypocrisy

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: Luke 20:45-47

45 Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 47 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.” (Luke 20:45-47 NLT)

Jesus continued warning his disciples and the crowds about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, focusing on their pride and their love of position and status. Then Jesus restated two principles he’d been talking about quite a lot recently:

1) If you want to be great, be a servant. If you want to be greatest, be servant of all!  2) If you exalt yourself, life will humble you and if you humble yourself, life will exalt you.

I pictured it like this: We’ve either got a Boss’s Mind or a Servant’s Heart.

The Boss’s Mind: At banquets or important meetings, I prefer to be at the head table so everyone can see how holy and important I am (and also so I can look over the crowd to see if there are any poor widows I can cheat out of their property). And I’d like to pray the opening prayer before the party starts. Okay?

The Servant’s Heart: Thanks so much for inviting me to the banquet! It’s such an honor to be here! I’m happy to sit at this table over here by the kitchen. And if there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. Please tell the Steward that if any help is needed keeping the wine glasses full, I’ll be glad to serve.

Friends, the pull of pride is with us and in us. It can cause us to put on a show, to dress for status, to desire recognition and praise from others, to want a title so people will know how important we are. Intentional humility is an effective shield to protect ourselves from pride.

Prayer:

Father, You alone are worthy of glory, honor, and praise. Don’t let me forget that! Protect us from pride and hypocrisy! Please equip us with a Servant’s Heart and protect us from the Boss’s Mind! May my friends and I remember we’re all equal in your sight. Amen.