Hippo-Critters

HYO-O-CRITE /hɪp ə krɪt/ Pronunciation [hip-uh-krit] Noun
A person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.

A person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

Origin: 1175–1225; ME ipocrite / OF / LL hypocrita / Gk hypokrit s a stage actor, hence one who pretends to be what he is not, equiv. to hypokr (nesthai) (see hypocrisy ) + -tēs agent suffix

Them Hippo-Critters are Waa-scally fellows aren’t they?

You see em’ all the time. You see em’ on the way to work, at work, at lunch, in the grocery store, at home, at church, you see em’ every where… and you see one staring right back at you every time you look in the mirror.

We all walk so tall and proud, but if are deepest darkest secrets were know by everyone, we would crawl under the closest rock in shame. I don’t say this by any special insight into your life. I say it because we are all the reflection of what the Bible says we are.

Romans 3:12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

I don’t care how pious and perfect your life may appear to be… we all wear a face on the outside that is different from the one God sees… and one that we hope no one else ever sees. In other words; “we are all Hypocrites!”

But it’s OK, God loves us anyway.

This isn’t intended to be a bash on anyone. It’s really pointed at me. It is an epiphany that the Holy Spirit brought upon me when examining my own life. It’s not like I have some deep dark secret that just became too heavy to bear, or at least none that are any different from those that are carried by any one else. It is the realization of just how far away I am from where I want to be (or from where He wants me to be), and how impossible it is for me to get there. When I contemplate who I am before God, and what a despicable wretch I am, it makes me ashamed to come before Him for anything. I deserve far worse than I have, and none of what He offers.

But, I know that I am in good company, even Paul mourned his earthly failure in this area.

Romans 7:14-24 I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me?

I think Paul was somewhere around 14 years into his ministry when he said this… after a personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus Christ, an anointing by the Holy Spirit like few have ever seen and 14 years of successful ministry. If he was still struggling with being who he presented himself to be after all this; then buckle up partner, we are all in for a bumpy ride.

The only time we will finally get it right, is when we get to go home.